Republican Rep. James Comer sounded optimistic Sunday about the prospect of formally authorizing the impeachment inquiry into President Biden, assuming that previously apprehensive moderate Republicans have come on board after meeting their constituents “at Walmart” over Memorial Day. Thanksgiving.
Comer, who chairs the impeachment inquiry, reflected that “15 or 20 moderates” within his group had been hindering efforts to make the investigation official out of fear of the media.
“Something great happened during Thanksgiving. The members went home … and met people at Walmart and people on Main Street,” Comer told Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.”
“They heard their constituents say ‘yes, we want you to move forward,’” he added. “So we are united in a time where I think it’s no secret that our conference is broken in many ways.”
The Kentucky Republican suggested the House committee is “broken.” AP
White House spokesman Ian Sams quickly mocked the Kentucky Republican in response.
“Jamie Comer: ‘Burisma, it’s the talk of Walmart nationwide!!!’” Sams wrote with a laughing emoji in X.
In September, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) launched the impeachment inquiry, a fact-finding operation distinct from a formal impeachment trial.
Historically, impeachment investigations require a formal vote in the House to begin.
In 2019, then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) opened the first impeachment inquiry into former President Donald Trump without a floor vote.
That investigation was opened on September 24, 2019, and Democrats formally authorized it on October 31, 2019.
President Biden has insisted that he was not involved in his son Hunter’s business affairs. REUTERS
Comer is not the only one who believes House Republicans will formalize the investigation.
“I think we will do it,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told Fox News on Saturday when asked about authorizing the investigation.
“I suspect no Democrats will help in this effort, but they should.”
The White House has accused House Republicans of mounting an “unconstitutional” investigation due to a lack of formal authorization.
Republicans have issued subpoenas against several key players in the investigation, including first son Hunter Biden and the president’s brother, James Biden.
The lack of formal authorization could give those witnesses potential legal arguments against subpoenas.
Last Tuesday, Hunter Biden’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, appeared to mock Republicans on the impeachment panel with an offer to testify publicly on December 13, rather than privately.
Republicans opposed it.
James Comer has previously suggested that he would support an impeachment attempt against the president. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
“Five minutes for each legislator and we have already seen that the Democrats do not have the disposition to behave appropriately. They scream and scream,” Comer explained.
Comer, who chairs the powerful House Oversight Committee, one of three panels participating in the impeachment inquiry, criticized Democrats for mounting a defense campaign in support of the president.
“They have tried to mislead the American people with disinformation about everything related to this investigation from day one, from the laptop being Russian disinformation, to Rudy Giuliani somehow manipulating these bank records,” he said.
“It’s ridiculous what Democrats are doing in their relentless pursuit to be the Biden family’s criminal defense attorney.”
Biden’s defenders have accused Republicans of mounting a partisan crusade against him and have sought to distance the president from his family’s businesses.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn