During an interview with NBC News’ Kristen Welker on Sunday, Representative Don Bacon, a Nebraska Republican, stated that according to lawyers hired by Congress, President Joe Biden has not committed a specific crime at this point in the impeachment probe against him.
The Context:
For more than a year, House Republicans, spearheaded by House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer of Kentucky and House Judiciary Committee chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio, have been conducting an investigation into the Biden family. Their allegations suggest that President Biden had direct involvement in and profited from his son Hunter Biden’s overseas business ventures while he served as vice president under former President Barack Obama.
President Biden has consistently denied these allegations, asserting that the impeachment inquiry launched against him is nothing more than a groundless political maneuver.
To impeach an officeholder, Congress must determine that the politician is responsible for committing a high crime or misdemeanor. The House of Representatives requires a simple majority to advance the case to the Senate. Subsequently, the Senate conducts a trial and has the authority to declare the officeholder guilty based on the articles of impeachment passed by the House, or acquit the officeholder.
What We Know:
During his appearance on Meet the Press, Bacon informed Welker that the lawyers on the committee staff had stated that, at this stage, no specific crime had been committed.
Welker then posed the question to the congressman, asking if he believes the investigation has come to an end. She inquired, “Given what you’ve just stated, do you think it’s time to move on?”
“I’m not sure if it’s the right time, but I believe we’re getting close to wrapping up this investigation,” Bacon stated. “It was crucial for the American people to realize that although the family raised $24 million in foreign funds and utilized hidden LLCs to transfer the money, it doesn’t necessarily constitute a serious offense or wrongdoing.”
The impeachment inquiry has not yet presented convincing evidence to support its claims.
Views:
During a recent committee hearing on the impeachment probe, Representative Jared Moskowitz, a Florida Democrat and member of the Oversight Committee, attempted to challenge Comer and Jordan’s position by motioning to impeach Biden.
“Why don’t we just proceed with the impeachment?” he suggested. “There’s no point in wasting millions of dollars of the taxpayers’ money if we already believe that he has committed a high crime or misdemeanor. What are we waiting for? By the way, Chairman Jordan is also here. Why haven’t you called for the vote in your committee? When will it take place?”
According to Jordan, the approach taken by their team is different from snap impeachments. They prioritize gathering and analyzing facts and conducting oversight in accordance with the Constitution.
Despite the silence that greeted Moskowitz’s motion, he proceeded with it and graciously welcomed Jordan to second it.
Moskowitz confidently addressed the public, stating that there is no chance of Joe Biden being impeached. According to him, this is because there is a lack of evidence to support such a claim. In his view, the entire situation is nothing more than a show, lacking authenticity.
What’s Next?
In a letter on Thursday, Comer suggested that Biden should participate in a testimony before the committee on April 16. Comer pointed to the recent public hearing where former business associates of Hunter Biden, Tony Bobulinski and Jason Galanis, provided testimony that, according to Comer, contradicted the statements made by the president regarding his involvement in his son’s business dealings.
Bobulinski and Galanis have made allegations that the president was involved in schemes to assist Hunter Biden’s businesses. The White House has refuted their testimonies, with spokesperson Ian Sams dismissing the invitation for the president to testify as a “pathetic ploy following a failed impeachment.”
