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Friday 29 September 2023

House Republicans make their case for Biden impeachment

inquiry at first hearing

Continued from Front case.
“The Biden Justice Depart-
Comer announced he was ment protected the Biden
issuing subpoenas for addi- family brand.” said Rep. Ja-
tional banking records from son Smith, a Missouri Repub-
Hunter Biden and the presi- lican and Ways and Means
dent’s brother, James Biden. chairman.
He said the panel will con- What Smith did not mention
tinue to “follow the money was that the discussions oc-
and the evidence to provide curred during the Trump Jus-
accountability.” tice Department and were
It’s a high-stakes opening act likely in keeping with the
for Republicans, taking place agency’s practice of avoid-
just before a potential fed- ing overt investigative steps
eral government shutdown, concerning political candi-
as they begin a process that dates in the immediate run-
can lead to the ultimate up to an election.
penalty for a president, dis- But Republicans have point-
missal from office for what ed to a failed plea deal over
the Constitution describes the summer as proof that
as “high crimes and misde- Hunter Biden received pref-
meanors.” erential treatment because
The White House pushed of who his father was.
back with statements Rep. Kweisi Mfume, D-Md., points to a countdown clock with the time left before a government “They tried to put together
throughout the hearing say- shutdown, during a House Oversight Committee impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, this sweetheart deal,” said
Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington.
ing nothing can distract from Associated Press Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, the
the Republicans’ inability Judiciary chairman.
to govern as the shutdown The impeachment inquiry
loomed. Spokesperson Sha- five-year-old allegations Republicans say they have wire transfers from a Chinese hearing is taking place as
ron Yang called the hearing raised by Donald Trump, who to impeach Biden, Gerhardt businessman to Hunter Biden the federal government is
a “baseless stunt” and said, is Biden’s chief rival in 2024, concluded: “If that’s what in 2019. Hunter Biden had days away from what is likely
“President Biden will always during the former president’s exists, as a basis for this in- listed his father’s address on to be a damaging govern-
stay focused on the priorities 2019 impeachment over quiry, it is not sufficient. I say the wire transfer form, which ment shutdown that would
of the American people – not Ukraine. that with all respect.” Republicans say provided a halt paychecks for millions
these political games.” “They don’t have a shred of Still, questions remain as clear link to the president. of federal workers and the
The more than six-hour hear- evidence against President Republicans dig into the Abbe Lowell, an attorney military and disrupt services
ing came as House Repub- Biden for an impeachable Biden family finances and for Hunter Biden, said the for millions of Americans.
licans face scattered resist- offense,” he said. the overseas business deal- address on the wire transfer, House Speaker Kevin Mc-
ance to an impeachment The hearing Thursday did not ings of Hunter Biden, who which he says was a loan, Carthy announced the
inquiry from their own ranks feature witnesses with infor- has acknowledged being was listed to the president’s impeachment inquiry this
and deep reluctance in the mation about the Bidens or a drug user during much of Delaware home because it month egged on by Trump
Senate from Republicans Hunter Biden’s business. In- the time under scrutiny. The was the address on Hunter and with mounting pressure
who worry about political stead, the panel heard from president’s brother, James, Biden’s driver’s license and from his right flank to take
ramifications and say Biden’s outside experts in tax law, was also involved in some “his only permanent address action against Biden or risk
conviction and removal from criminal investigations and work with Hunter. at the time.” being ousted from his lead-
office is unlikely. constitutional legal theory. Republicans have been in- “Once again Rep. Comer ership job.
As the hearing began, Dem- A top Republican-called vestigating Hunter Biden for peddles lies to support a Trump is the only president
ocrats displayed a screen witness, Jonathan Turley, a years, since his father was premise — some wrongdo- to be twice impeached,
showing the days, hours George Washington Universi- vice president. And while ing by Hunter Biden or his first over accusations he
and minutes left until the ty law professor who is an ex- there have been questions family — that evaporates pressured Ukraine to dig up
government shuts down as pert in impeachment issues, raised about the ethics in thin air the moment facts dirt on Biden and later over
Congress struggles to fund said he believed the House around the family’s interna- come out,” Lowell said in a accusations that he incited
the government before Sat- had passed the threshold tional business, none of the statement. the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection
urday’s deadline. for an inquiry but that the evidence so far has proven House Republicans are also at the Capitol. He was ac-
“We’re 62 hours away from current evidence was not that the president, in his looking into the Justice De- quitted in both cases by the
shutting down the govern- enough for charges. current or previous office, partment investigation into Senate.
ment of the United States of “I do not believe that the cur- abused his role, accepted Hunter Biden’s taxes and The hearing Thursday is ex-
America and Republicans rent evidence would support bribes or both. gun use that began in 2018. pected to be the first of
are launching an impeach- articles of impeachment,” One former business part- Two IRS whistleblowers came many as House Republi-
ment drive, based on a long Turley said. ner of Hunter Biden has told forward to Congress in the cans explore whether or
debunked and discredited Democrats, who decry the House investigators the son spring with claims that de- not they will pursue articles
lie,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin, investigation as a political was selling the “illusion of ac- partment officials thwarted of impeachment against the
the top Democrat on the ploy aimed at hurting Biden cess” to his father. their efforts to fully investi- president.
Oversight panel. and helping Trump as he runs Turley told the lawmakers the gate Hunter Biden and that It’s unclear if McCarthy
Raskin questioned the legiti- again for president, brought question remains, “Was the they faced retaliation when has support from his slim
macy of the hearing since in Michael Gerhardt, a law president involved?” they pushed back. Republican majority to im-
the House has not voted professor who has also ap- In the run-up to the hear- The claims have since been peach Biden. If Biden was
to formally launch the im- peared as an expert in previ- ing, Republicans unveiled a disputed by the Department impeached, the charges
peachment inquiry. He said ous impeachment proceed- tranche of new documents of Justice, the IRS and FBI would then be sent to the
Republicans are rehashing ings. In detailing the reasons and bank records that detail agents who worked on the Senate for a trial.q