Democrats Launch Convention as House GOP Drops Biden Impeachment Report

WASHINGTON – House Republicans released an impeachment report on Monday, filled with serious allegations against President Joe Biden, which he has previously dismissed as “lies” during the lengthy investigation that has spanned nearly two years.

This 291-page report, compiled by three committees—Judiciary, Oversight and Accountability, and Ways and Means—accuses Biden of participating in a conspiracy. The report claims he aided his family in receiving substantial sums from foreign interests through dinners and phone communications.

The report asserts, “The totality of the corrupt conduct uncovered by the Committees is egregious. President Joe Biden conspired to commit influence peddling and grift. In doing so, he abused his office and, by repeatedly lying about this abuse, defrauded the United States to enrich his family.”

The timing of the report’s release coincides with Biden addressing the Democratic National Convention, where he chose not to seek re-election against former President Donald Trump. The report aims to provide an update to lawmakers about the evidence collected to date while reiterating that investigations will continue. However, allies of Biden have alleged that the Republicans intend to bolster Trump’s polling numbers against Biden in an effort to facilitate his victory in the upcoming November elections.

Biden has categorically denied the corruption allegations. His brother, James Biden, and his son, Hunter Biden, have both claimed that the president was not involved in their business dealings. After a hearing in March, during which even some House Republicans posed questions about the evidence against Biden, White House counsel Edward Siskel decided that the impeachment inquiry had ended prematurely.

Siskel wrote to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., stating, “Instead, the investigation has continually turned up evidence that, in fact, the President did nothing wrong.”

The report serves as an update on various inquiries that Republicans have pursued since regaining control of the House in 2023, rather than signaling an imminent vote on impeachment and a subsequent Senate trial. Republican lawmakers announced that following Biden’s exit from the race, they would expand their investigations to focus on Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee against Trump, as well as her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

Several accusations made against Biden in the report point back to the 2019 impeachment of Trump concerning his dealings with Ukraine, which Republicans argue sets a precedent for defining “high crimes and misdemeanors.”

“Despite the cheapening of impeachment power by Democrats in recent years, the House’s decision to pursue articles of impeachment must not be made lightly,” the report states.

This report follows last week’s arguments made by Justice Department special counsel David Weiss in Hunter Biden’s pending trial concerning unpaid taxes. Prosecutors indicated that rather than providing evidence that the president’s son was compensated for actions impacting national or international politics, it appeared he contributed very little work in exchange for millions acquired from various foreign companies.

Republicans have warned that the impeachments of Trump, from which he was acquitted both times by the Senate, could lead to tit-for-tat political accusations every time Congress and the White House are controlled by opposing parties. The House has already impeached Alejandro Mayorkas, the Secretary of Homeland Security; however, those charges relating to border security were dismissed in the Democratic-controlled Senate without a trial.

The report lists multiple allegations against Biden, ranging from family business deals to the federal prosecution of Hunter Biden, as well as investigations into the classified documents found at the president’s home and office. Key findings include:

• Biden’s relatives allegedly received $27 million from foreign entities since 2014, which encompasses his vice presidency and a subsequent four-year break from public office. The Bidens deny that the president gained from these deals, with James Biden claiming that payments to his brother were to repay personal loans.
• During business discussions with international associates, Hunter Biden purportedly placed his father on speakerphone, yet some witnesses have indicated that these conversations were trivial, sometimes limited to discussions about the weather.
• The report suggests that the Justice Department provided Hunter Biden with preferential treatment during investigations leading to charges for gun possession and unpaid taxes. Following a federal judge’s rejection of a plea deal that could have spared him jail time, Hunter was convicted of gun charges and is scheduled for trial on tax-related charges.
• It is alleged that the White House obstructed the impeachment inquiry by withholding critical documents and witnesses. Biden notably invoked executive privilege in refusing to disclose the recording of his interview concerning classified documents.

House Republicans emphasize the relevance of the 2019 impeachment of Trump, claiming that it established criteria for identifying “high crimes and misdemeanors” related to misuse of power and efforts to enrich oneself while jeopardizing national interests.

Throughout the inquiry, Biden, his family, and administration officials have consistently refuted the accusations. “Instead of doing anything to help Americans improve their lives, they are focused on attacking me with lies,” Biden stated following the House authorization to pursue the impeachment inquiry.

White House counsel Siskel echoed this sentiment, asserting that Republicans have amassed over 100,000 pages of records and interviewed numerous witnesses without substantiating their claims against the president. Testimonies from Hunter and James Biden reiterated that the president had no involvement in their business ventures.

This development underscores a complex and polarizing chapter in American politics as impeachment discussions and investigations bring forth contentious claims amid a rapidly approaching election season.

Source: USA Today