In the first impeachment inquiry hearing against President Joe Biden, House Republicans presented their allegations, though their expert witnesses acknowledged a lack of evidence to support their claims. The hearing did not feature witnesses with direct knowledge of Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings, which are the focal point of the inquiry. Nevertheless, Republicans presented some of the evidence they have uncovered so far, none of which has proven any financial benefit for Joe Biden from his son’s business activities. Democrats countered by accusing Republicans of serving Donald Trump’s interests and highlighting Trump’s own foreign dealings. The hearing revealed that Republicans have not yet obtained enough evidence to prove corruption by the Bidens, though they argue that the evidence gathered thus far justifies the impeachment inquiry.
Republican expert witness Bruce Dubinsky, a forensic accountant, stated that there was not enough evidence to suggest corruption, fraud, or wrongdoing on the part of the Bidens. However, he raised questions regarding Hunter Biden’s finances and the existence of complex overseas shell companies, potentially indicating illicit activities. Conservative law professor Jonathan Turley also admitted that there is insufficient evidence to support articles of impeachment against Joe Biden. However, he maintained that the House has surpassed the threshold for an impeachment inquiry based on Biden’s false statements and allegations of benefiting from his son’s business deals. Overall, the Republican witnesses’ statements in the hearing undermined their own allegations, leading to criticism from within the GOP.
Republicans in the hearing claimed that their probes have revealed significant evidence of Joe Biden abusing his office for his family’s financial gain, despite not offering concrete evidence to support this claim. They also referred to recently released IRS documents, which whistleblowers claim show the Justice Department intervening in the Hunter Biden criminal probe to protect the Biden family. However, many of the alleged wrongdoings occurred during the Trump administration, prior to Joe Biden taking office. Following the hearing, House Republicans issued subpoenas for the personal and business records of Hunter Biden and James Biden, seeking to determine if Joe Biden received payments or benefits in exchange for official acts. Some Republicans expressed frustration with the witnesses’ statements, which undermined their arguments and admitted to a lack of evidence. Democrats criticized Republicans for focusing on impeachment instead of passing bills to fund the government as a shutdown loomed.