Current:Home > MarketsHouse Republicans will subpoena Hunter and James Biden as their impeachment inquiry ramps back up -BrightFutureFinance
House Republicans will subpoena Hunter and James Biden as their impeachment inquiry ramps back up
View
Date:2025-04-27 18:46:41
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans will issue subpoenas on Wednesday to members of President Joe Biden’s family, taking their most aggressive step yet in an impeachment inquiry bitterly opposed by Democrats that is testing the reach of congressional oversight powers.
The subpoenas were expected to be issued later Wednesday afternoon. The long-awaited move by Rep. James Comer, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, to subpoena the president’s son Hunter and his brother James comes as Republicans look to gain ground in their nearly yearlong investigation. So far, they have failed to uncover evidence directly implicating the president in any wrongdoing.
But Republicans say the evidence trail they have uncovered paints a troubling picture of “influence peddling” by Biden’s family in their business dealings, particularly with clients overseas.
“Now, the House Oversight Committee is going to bring in members of the Biden family and their associates to question them on this record of evidence,” Comer, of Kentucky, said in a statement.
The stakes are exceedingly high, as the inquiry could result in Republicans bringing impeachment charges against Biden, the ultimate penalty for what the U.S. Constitution describes as “high crimes and misdemeanors.”
The subpoenas demand that Hunter Biden and James Biden as well as former business associate Rob Walker appear before the Oversight Committee for a deposition. Lawmakers also requested that James Biden’s wife, Sara Biden, and Hallie Biden, the wife of the president’s deceased son Beau, appear voluntarily for transcribed interviews.
Requests for comment from Hunter Biden, who lives in California, and James Biden, who’s from Royal Oak, Maryland, were not immediately returned.
Both the White House and the Biden family’s personal lawyers have dismissed the investigation as a political ploy aimed at hurting the Democratic president. They say the probe is a blatant attempt to help former President Donald Trump, the early front-runner for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, as he runs again for the White House.
Hunter Biden’s attorney Abbe Lowell said the investigation has been full of “worn-out, false, baseless, or debunked claims.” In a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday morning, Lowell urged the new speaker to rein in the “partisan political games.”
Johnson, now settling into the speakership after replacing Kevin McCarthy as the top Republican in the House, has given his blessing to the inquiry and has hinted that a decision could come soon on whether to pursue articles of impeachment against Biden.
“I think we have a constitutional responsibility to follow this truth where it leads,” Johnson told Fox News Channel recently. He also said in a separate Fox interview that he would support Comer’s decision to subpoena the president’s son, saying “desperate times call for desperate measures, and that perhaps is overdue.”
Since January, Republicans have been investigating the Biden family for what they claim is a pattern of “influence peddling” spanning back to when Biden was Barack Obama’s vice president. Comer claims the committee had “uncovered a mountain of evidence” that he said would show how Biden abused his power and repeatedly lied about a “wall” between his political position and his son’s private business dealings.
While questions have arisen about the ethics surrounding the Biden family’s international business, no evidence has emerged to prove that Joe Biden, in his current or previous office, abused his role or accepted bribes.
veryGood! (8692)
Related
- Which apps offer encrypted messaging? How to switch and what to know after feds’ warning
- Elon Musk’s Daughter Vivian Responds to His Comments About Her Transgender Identity
- Arkansas abortion measure’s signatures from volunteers alone would fall short, filing shows
- Wood pellets boomed in the US South. Climate activists want Biden to stop boosting industry growth
- Meta releases AI model to enhance Metaverse experience
- Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's Daughter Shiloh Is Dedicated to Pursuing Dancing
- Man gets 66 years in prison for stabbing two Indianapolis police officers who responded to 911 call
- Chipotle CEO addresses portion complaints spawned by viral 'Camera Trick' TikTok challenge
- Elon Musk's skyrocketing net worth: He's the first person with over $400 billion
- Harvey Weinstein hospitalized with COVID-19 and pneumonia
Ranking
- Military service academies see drop in reported sexual assaults after alarming surge
- Michigan’s top court throws out 2006 conviction linked to shaken baby syndrome
- Autopsy findings confirm Sonya Massey, Black woman shot by deputy, died from gunshot wound to head
- Arkansas standoff ends with suspect dead after exchange of gunfire with law enforcement
- Military service academies see drop in reported sexual assaults after alarming surge
- Former lawmaker sentenced to year in prison for role in kickback scheme
- Gymnast Levi Jung-Ruivivar Suffers Severe Allergic Reaction in Olympic Village
- Oregon wildfire map: Track 38 uncontrolled blazes that have burned nearly 1 million acres
Recommendation
Grammy nominee Teddy Swims on love, growth and embracing change
Man charged in Porsche crash that left friend dead: 'I think I just killed my friend'
Video tutorial: 4 ways to easily track your packages online
Two former FBI officials settle lawsuits with Justice Department over leaked text messages
Have Dry, Sensitive Skin? You Need To Add These Gentle Skincare Products to Your Routine
The economy grew robust 2.8% in the second quarter. What it means for interest rates.
2024 Paris Olympics: See the Athletes’ Most Emotional Moments
France’s train network hit by 'massive attack' before Olympics opening ceremony