In itself, having a grandfather with such a record was no great scandal for Freeland—she could not be held responsible for the sins of her grandfather. But when the story first came out, Freeland would not admit the facts. She had described Mykhailo Chomiak as one of the great inspirations in her life and dismissed the stories about his Nazi collaborating past as Russian disinformation. Like many others, she remains in denial about her grandfather’s role promoting the Nazis’ policies and the Holocaust in Ukraine.
Just say that you weren’t aware that your ancestor was a piece of shit and it becomes a non-story. But by denying it, you’ve found the Streisand-effect.