House Republicans have issued a nearly 300-page impeachment inquiry report on President Joe Biden, recycling previously made allegations against him and his family's business dealings.
Released by the House Judiciary, Oversight, and Ways and Means Committees, this document comes after almost two years of investigations that have yet to substantiate their most significant claims.
According to ABC News, while the document alleges that the committees have uncovered "impeachable conduct," it does not recommend specific articles of impeachment.
This extensive document cites various documents and testimonies and coincides with the first day of the Democratic National Convention and President Biden's scheduled speech. However, it provides little evidence of direct and knowing involvement by Joe Biden himself in illegal or improper activities. Instead, its primary focus lies on the actions of his son, Hunter Biden, and the president's brother, Jim Biden.
The report outlines six key findings, including allegations that the Biden family received $27 million from foreign entities using shell companies and $8 million in questionable loans. It also presents claims of special treatment for Hunter Biden and White House obstruction of the impeachment inquiry into the president.
A significant allegation concerns loans received by James Biden and Hunter Biden. According to the findings, they received nearly $8 million in loans from entertainment attorney Kevin Morris, family friend Joey Langston, and car dealer John Hynansky. Morris reportedly provided the majority of these alleged loans, over $6 million, paying more than $1.9 million of Hunter Biden's tax liabilities and assisting with other expenses.
Republicans suggest that Morris's financial assistance could be perceived as an unspoken quid pro quo or unlawful campaign contribution. However, direct evidence of wrongdoing by President Biden himself in relation to this financial assistance is notably absent from the document.
It's worth noting that multiple previous associates of Hunter Biden have stated that President Biden had no involvement in Hunter's business dealings. Rob Walker, a longtime business associate of Hunter Biden, said in a closed-door interview in January:
To be clear, President Biden -- while in office or as a private citizen -- was never involved in any of the business activities we pursued. Any statement to the contrary is simply false.
No new bombshells or significant evidence that hasn't been previously discussed or alleged by House Republicans appear to be contained in this latest document.
This extensive document may serve as a roadmap for House Republicans if they decide to draft articles of impeachment when Congress returns on September 9. However, the next steps remain unclear, including whether articles of impeachment will be drafted and formally introduced.
If articles are introduced, one of the House committees, likely Judiciary, led by Jim Jordan, would hold a markup to pass the articles out of committee for House floor consideration. Uncertainty surrounds whether Speaker Mike Johnson would hold an impeachment vote on the floor, as Republicans have hesitated for months to move forward with impeaching Biden due to a lack of votes and doubts about the merit of impeachment.
The White House is accused of obstructing the investigation into President Biden's alleged retention of classified documents. Despite claims of wrongdoing, Special Counsel Robert Hur concluded that there wasn't enough evidence to charge Biden. Hur found some evidence but didn't believe it was strong enough to prove guilt.
In conclusion, House Republicans have unveiled an impeachment inquiry report on President Biden, reiterating familiar allegations without recommending specific articles of impeachment. Focusing on the Biden family's business dealings, the document provides little direct evidence of wrongdoing by the president himself. The path forward remains uncertain, especially given the limited time left in the current congressional session and the lack of clear consensus among Republicans on how to proceed.
