Here’s What Happened At The First Impeachment Inquiry Hearing Into Biden

In the first impeachment inquiry for Joe Biden, Republicans attempted to make the case that the US president raked in benefits from his son’s business dealings.

What resulted was a more than six-hour-long chaotic hearing that saw House Republicans struggling to prove their case against the Bidens.

House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer claimed the president had used his official government role for his family’s benefits.

Witnesses Didn’t Offer Any Direct Knowledge Of Wrongdoing

Comer and his Republican colleagues, however, didn’t provide clear evidence, with the three witnesses for Republicans also failing to offer any direct knowledge of wrongdoing.

Forensic accountant Bruce Dubinsky, one of the witnesses brought by Republicans, said: “More information needs to be gathered before I can make such an assessment.”

Law professor Jonathan Turley, also a Republican witness, said: “I do not believe … the evidence … meets the standard of a high crime and misdemeanor needed for an article of impeachment.”

House Republicans “Wasted Hours”

Yet, Comer concluded – the committee will continue its effort to try to impeach the president, a promise made months ago when Republicans grabbed control of the House of Representatives.

White House spokesperson for oversight and investigations Sharon Yang called the six-hour-long hearing “a failed effort to distract from their own chaos.”

House Republicans “wasted hours” trying to distract from their own “inability to govern that is careening the country towards an unnecessary government shutdown,” she added.

Impact Of Government Shutdown On Inquiry

Democratic Rep Jamie Raskin of Maryland strongly criticised the actions of the committee for both lack of evidence and the hearing’s timing.

Throughout the hearing, Democrats presented laptops in front of them with a clock counting down until the US government would be forced to shut down.

Meanwhile, Republicans plan to continue their impeachment inquiry for Joe Biden during a looming shutdown. But no additional hearings have so far been scheduled.