The House Oversight Committee plans to invite President Joe Biden to testify in Republicans’ impeachment investigation, signaling the first instance of such a suggestion, although the president’s acceptance is unlikely.
Committee Chairman James Comer stated the necessity to hear directly from the president following a lengthy hearing regarding the Biden family’s business dealings, orchestrated by Republicans seeking to advance their months-long investigation. Democrats, however, dismissed the inquiry as unfounded.
Allegations from House Republicans imply that Biden and his family improperly profited from policy decisions during his tenure as Vice President under Barack Obama, from 2009 to 2017.
The White House rebuffed the investigation, denouncing it as politically driven and labeling Wednesday’s hearing as “a sad charade.”
The proposal for Biden to testify follows a history where only three sitting presidents have voluntarily testified before congressional committees, with the most recent being President Gerald Ford in 1974, albeit not during an impeachment attempt.
The hearing witnessed testimonies from two former business associates of Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, along with Lev Parnas, an associate of former President Donald Trump.
While conversations involving President Biden were detailed, none indicated that the president discussed business activities with them.
Hunter Biden and his associate Devon Archer declined the committee’s invitation, the panel arranged an empty chair and name tag for Hunter Biden. Democrats invited Parnas in an attempt to uncover potential wrongdoing by the Bidens in Ukraine before the 2020 election.
The hearing drew criticism, with a White House spokesman dismissing it as a waste of time, urging to focus on pressing issues.
A Democratic lawmaker donned a Vladimir Putin mask to accuse Republicans of falling for Russian disinformation before the hearing began. However, this spectacle did not extend into the hearing room.
The Republican probe’s foundation rested on information from a former FBI informant, now charged with lying about a Ukrainian businessman bribing the Bidens.
House Republicans are yet to decide on the next steps, with Chairman Comer contemplating criminal referrals instead of drafting articles of impeachment.
With the Republicans holding a slim House majority, impeachment remains challenging. The Democratic-led Senate will likely vote to acquit, as in the recent case of Alejandro Mayorkas, the top border official.
