Devin Nunes predicts Ukraine controversy will 'backfire' on Joe Biden over past improprieties

Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), the ranking member on the House Intelligence Committee, said the newest controversy to envelop President Donald Trump involving Ukraine will ultimately backfire on Democrats and sink Joe Biden's presidential campaign.

Nunes told Fox News host Maria Bartiromo on "Sunday Morning Futures" he believes the new controversy involving Ukraine and the president was contrived to deflect from Biden's past improprieties.

"Whoever came up with this scheme, because it looks like it was somebody trying to deflect what Biden did back in 2015," Nunes said. "What was he doing talking to the Ukrainian leadership at the time when his son has a contract?

"Look, the left knows that Biden's son is a problem for him. This is why ... these stories first originated back when Hillary Clinton was trying to make sure that Biden didn't get in the race," he explained. "So, now that these have been resurrected, I don't know who came up with the scheme. Maybe this whistleblower is not a partisan.

"But it sure looks like the scheme has backfired. And, like I said, I think this is probably the end of Biden's campaign," Nunes predicted.

Nunes: This could be the end for Biden's campaignwww.youtube.com

What is the background?

Trump faced new scrutiny last week over a conversation he had with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in July during which he reportedly pressured Ukraine to investigate Hunter Biden, who had a key role in a natural gas company that was previously investigated by Ukraine's top prosecutor, Viktor Shokin, for possible corruption. Shokin was mysteriously fired in 2016.

Two years after leaving office, Biden admitted on camera to pressuring then-Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to dismiss Shokin. Biden said he threatened to withhold $1 billion in loan guarantees if Shokin was not fired.

"I said, 'You're not getting the billion,'" Biden recounted telling Poroshenko. "I'm going to be leaving here in, I think it was about six hours. I looked at them and said: 'I'm leaving in six hours. If the prosecutor is not fired, you're not getting the money.'"

"Well, son of a b***h, he got fired," Biden bragged. "And they put in place someone who was solid at the time."

It is not directly clear if Shokin's dismissal was directly related to his investigation involving Biden's son.

However, there are mounting questions surrounding the Obama administration, Democrats, and Ukraine.

The Hill reported earlier this year that Ukrainian law enforcement has attempted to share evidence of wrongdoing by Democrats, "ranging from 2016 election interference to obstructing criminal probes," with the Trump administration. There is also evidence suggesting U.S. officials pressured Ukrainian authorities to drop a probe involving George Soros during the 2016 election.