By CASEY HARPER | THE CENTER SQUARE
U.S. House Republicans launched the first impeachment inquiry Thursday into President Joe Biden, who faces an array of allegations around bribery and financial impropriety related to personal business dealings spearheaded by his son, Hunter Biden.
Republicans say they have significant evidence to back allegations that Hunter Biden received more than $20 million from several overseas entities in China, Ukraine, Russia and more. Hunter also faces gun and tax-related legal difficulties.
The impeachment inquiry, though, forces Republicans to focus on how much President Biden in particular was involved and benefited from these alleged dealings as Democrats argue the evidence is lacking.
“Evidence reveals that then-Vice President Joe Biden spoke, dined, and developed relationships with his family’s foreign business targets,” House Oversight Committee Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., said in his opening statement, referring in part to testimony from IRS whistleblowers and long-time business associate of Hunter Biden, Devon Archer.
“These business targets include foreign oligarchs who sent millions of dollars to his family,” Comer added. “It also includes a Chinese national who wired a quarter of a million dollars to his son.”
The wire in question from a Chinese national broke headlines this week and added further weight to the allegations against the president. Comer said this week that multiple wire transfers from Chinese nationals listed the president’s home address in Wilmington, Delaware, as the beneficiary address.
“This happened when Joe Biden was running for President of the United States. And Joe Biden’s home is listed as the beneficiary address,” Comer said. “To date, the House Oversight Committee has uncovered how the Bidens and their associates created over 20 shell companies – most of which were created when Joe Biden was Vice President – and raked in over $24 million between 2014 to 2019.
“We’ve also identified nine members of the Biden family who have participated in or benefited from these business schemes,” Comer added.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who launched the impeachment inquiry earlier this month, referenced those wire transfers when speaking with reporters ahead of the hearing.
“While Joe Biden was running for president and told, and his attorney told too, that they received no money from China, we now know that yes, it came from Beijing,” McCarthy said. “It came from Jonathan Li, and the address on the wire is Joe Biden’s address. And then you find out, how did he meet this Jonathan Li? Well, he took Hunter Biden on Air Force Two when he went to China, and then Hunter had him meet the vice president then.
The vice president … he wrote letters of recommendation for his children too,” McCarthy added.
The House Ways and Means Committee also released documents and communications earlier this week, including one with Hunter Biden “bragging in a 2017 email to a Chinese business executive that he negotiated a contract for $10 million per year for ‘introductions alone.'”
Democrats remained steadfast during the hearing, arguing that there is no evidence against President Biden, specifically.
U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the ranking member on the committee, called it “preposterous,” and a “fairy tale.”
“They’ve got nothing on Joe Biden,” Raskin said, arguing that former President Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani sparked this “conspiracy theory.”
They also pointed to the indictments facing former President Donald Trump, who faces 91 charges across several states and from the federal government for his handling of classified documents, alleged ‘hush money’ payments to an adult film star, and his role in allegedly working to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.
“It’s scandalous to use impeachment to establish a counterfeit moral equivalence between President Biden, an honorable public servant who has never been indicted or convicted of anything in his career of more than 50 years in public life,” Raskin said. “…and Donald Trump, a twice impeached president who’s recently been found in court to have sexually abused and defamed a woman and fraudulently inflated the value of his real estate properties…”
Democrats also blasted Republicans for focusing on impeachment when the federal government is just days away from shutting down if Congress does not pass a new spending measure.
“They are wasting time and taxpayer dollars in an illegitimate impeachment inquiry when we’re about 48 away or so from an extreme MAGA Republican government shutdown, and this is what they’re focused on?” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., told reporters.
An honorable public servant??? Seriously!!!
This book belongs in the Fiction section.
Well we will see if the GOP is still a paper tiger as they are always behind the demos playing catch up. There will be no impeachment.
I’m over all this “scandal politics” where each side takes turns coming up with as many scandals as they can to take down the other side. Let’s get back to politics centered around economic and domestic policy.
I want a president that ensures the cost of living is low, the economic opportunities for individuals and businesses are high, and industry is innovative and robust. Until we base our politics back on those values, we will continue to point fingers, starve our economy, and fall into ruin.
I couldn’t care less which party wins or what else they do at this point, as long as the winner makes sure we get our economy back, streets safe, and debt/spending under control.
Sadly no questions about Iran having infiltrated his administration.
Biden is deeply corrupt, and there is no way he’ll ever be impeached. But, Comer and co can and should let sunlight in on Biden and his family.
Not a surprise that most politicians are for sale to the highest bidder. But to sell out to a foreign power by a person of high office is still treason. And to leave a trail is complacent and stupid. Nobody can make this stuff up.
Apparently inflation has gotten so bad a buyer needs gold bars to get the attention of Democrat senators.
At least in Jersey.
Nobody can make this stuff up?
Except it’s all made up. Trying and successfully convincing idiots that Biden was selling influence in 2017 when he wasn’t even in office.
Yeah, you can’t make this stuff up, but these moron Republicans can and do.
Your kidding right?
You would have to be a moron democrat not to see he is a traitor for hire.
Biden was:
1-a former Veep. Once that deep in, you’re never out.
2-he was the presumptive democrat challenger.
3-he was in possession of many boxes of classified documents.
4-things set in motion during his time as veep which occurred still count.
And so much more.
Wayoffit is a bit more fitting.
Did anyone ask about the $250,000 sent to his house from China? Allegedly sent to Hunter, who was living in Malibu at the time?
I’ll settle for knowing if it was reported to the IRS correctly.
Well while we are splitting hairs, what about ol Sarah Palin reporting to the IRS correctly. Lol.
Yeah. I thought so. Too bad it’s going to cost the USA.
I don’t recall Sarah being the subject of this investigation.
But if you’ve got proof, send it to the IRS.
As defined by the Constitution …
Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court. The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.
None of that applies to Biden you know. Maybe someone else though.
Keep on with the impeachment inquiry! Maybe people will learn more about Pedo Pete, his family, and our crooked politicians! Talking about wasting tax payer money – the lefties and rinos have no room to talk! More money to Ukraine? SURE. Money to investigate O’biden? Nooooo.
I thought “they” were closed. How can a closed congress accomplish this.
We all know since 2020 that B.S has been on the rise.
We all know and they just want the people to play along.. for the greater good/bank accounts.
There are no fact witnesses to date. The Republicans star witness, Jonathan Turley testified “I do not believe that the current evidence would support articles of impeachment,” What a waste of time
According to the establishment media that is working overtime to dismiss this, and protect the leftists in authority.
the rest of us are checking news from more than one side of the political aisle, and seeing a very different picture.
Oh “Frank”
To date is the operative term.
The left was warned repeatedly this day would come when they witch hunted Trump twice. And here they are outraged the right is actually using their tactics against them.
Fabricated text messages? Witnesses who’ve not witnessed anything? At least the goods on trumph were verifiable and honest in search for truth.
My 14 yr old told my 10 yr old today, “quit making accusations without proof.” I looked at the 10 yr old and said “yeah quit being a Republican.”
I’ll take “Things that never happened” for $400 please, Alex.
The question of the existence of the alleged child?
Both are valid things to question.
Well done! Even young RINO’s need early indoctrination.
Catch them early so ASD can queer them up with gender confusion.
The desperate nature of the troll posts would indicate the left is more worried than they want to let on.
Love to hear the same ageless claim that there is not enough evidence to support the charges. Never that they believe that the accused is innocent. The reason for an investigation is to gather such evidence and must be based on preliminary findings strong enough to warrant such an investigation. If a person with a sledgehammer is standing next to your smashed car you still have to find witnesses to prove his guilt. If nobody is willing to testify out of fear of reprisals you have no case but this doesn’t make him innocent.
Hunter should’ve se up a non-profit.
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