The Chair of the Oversight Committee, James Comer, has extended an invitation to President Joe Biden to testify publicly in the ongoing House Republican impeachment probe.
After Hunter Biden’s closed-door testimony, Republicans were left disappointed as they failed to uncover any evidence that would support their claim of the president’s financial gains from his family’s international business activities while he was vice president.
Mr. Comer extended an invitation for a public hearing, where you will have the chance to provide sworn testimony regarding your family’s income sources and the methods utilized to generate it. This request, detailed in a comprehensive seven-page letter, aims to provide you with the opportunity to clarify your involvement. It is worth noting that past presidents, such as President Ford, have testified before congressional committees, such as the Subcommittee on Criminal Justice of the House Judiciary Committee in 1974.
The Senate Historical Office has documented a total of three occasions where presidents have provided testimony.
On 20 March, Mr. Comer announced his intention to invite Mr. Biden. In response, White House spokesperson Ian Sams dismissed the invitation, stating, “Comer knows that over 20 witnesses have testified that POTUS did nothing wrong. He also knows that the extensive records he has received have debunked his false allegations. This is merely a desperate ploy at the conclusion of a failed impeachment. It’s time to move on, my friend.”
In a scathing statement on Thursday, the Oversight Committee Democrats expressed their frustration, stating that the GOP’s search for an impeachable offense has been unsuccessful. They further criticized the distorted and twisted evidence presented, even highlighting how right-wing media has called out the acrobatic contortions and comic evasions. The Democrats described the GOP impeachment inquiry as nothing short of a circus and suggested it was time to bring it to an end.
The impeachment probe experienced another obstacle when the former President Donald Trump-appointed special counsel, who is investigating Hunter Biden, charged a former FBI informant for allegedly lying about President and Hunter Biden accepting $5 million in bribes each from a Ukrainian energy company.
In his testimony last month, Hunter Biden stated that his father had never been involved in his business dealings. However, he has chosen not to testify publicly this month.
Hunter Biden’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, expressed his disapproval of Mr. Comer’s intentions in a letter. Lowell described the planned media event as a desperate attempt to salvage a lost cause.
