The House impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden is nearly finished, lacking support from Republicans to actually impeach him, but facing pressure to show results after months of work.
Republican Rep. James Comer, the chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, made a final attempt at Wednesday’s hearing to get testimony from Biden himself, claiming the Democratic president was either “involved or incapable” in his son Hunter Biden’s business deals. It’s highly unlikely Biden would appear before the committee.
“We need to hear from the president himself,” Comer said at the end of the almost eight-hour hearing.
The lengthy GOP impeachment inquiry is almost over, as it has not produced hard evidence of presidential wrongdoing. Seeking testimony from the president would be a possible final step. Comer has suggested that rather than drafting articles of impeachment against Biden, he is considering referring the family to the Justice Department for potential criminal investigation, which would be largely symbolic.
The committee’s top Democrat, Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, said the Republicans have turned the investigation into a “laughing stock” and the “comedy of errors” of the Biden impeachment inquiry is finally “crashing to an end.”
Republicans began their early investigations into the president after gaining control of the House last year, eager to hold Biden accountable. The Democratic-controlled House had impeached Republican Donald Trump twice during his presidency.
As Trump and Biden face another likely rematch this November, the probe is continuing to delve into Hunter Biden’s complex business dealings and troubled personal life, especially during Joe Biden's time as vice president or out of public office.
The committee claims that the Bidens used their name for improper influence, an alleged scheme in which Republicans are trying to connect a few phone calls or dinners between Joe Biden and Hunter Biden's business associates.
Hunter Biden, who is facing firearm and tax charges in separate cases, testified privately last month in a deposition that filled more than 200 pages but did not provide evidence of crimes that would warrant impeaching a president.
“My father has never been involved with my business,” Hunter Biden testified.
It would be unusual but not unheard of for a president to appear before Congress. Abraham Lincoln spoke privately to the House Judiciary Committee about a leaked speech, and Gerald Ford appeared about his pardon of former president Richard M. Nixon, among others.
The White House called the hearing a “sad charade” and told Republicans to “move on.”
“There are real issues the American people want us to address,” spokesman Ian Sams said.
