House Republicans said Monday that a forensic accountant, a legal scholar, and a former assistant attorney general for the Department of Justice's tax division will be the witnesses at its first hearing on the President Joe Biden impeachment inquiry.
On Monday, House Oversight Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) said that Republican lawmakers had uncovered "an overwhelming amount" of evidence that President Biden "abused his public office," during his tenure as vice president in the Obama administration, for his family's financial gain.
The hearing aims to establish what the president knew, and his role, in the foreign business dealings of his son, Hunter Biden.
The House investigations leading up to the impeachment inquiry hearings were conducted by three powerful committees: the Oversight, Judiciary, and Ways and Means.
The witness list includes Bruce Dubinsky, a forensic accountant who founded Dubinsky Consulting; Eileen O’Connor, a former assistant attorney general for the Department of Justice Tax Division; and Prof. Jonathan Turley, a nationally recognized legal scholar from George Washington University Law School.
The hearing will take place at the Rayburn House Office Building on Thursday at 10 a.m.
"Joe Biden showed up on at least two dozen occasions to send signals of access, influence, and power to those who were paying the Bidens," he added.
Mr. Comer said that based on the evidence uncovered by the panels, Congress is duty-bound to open an impeachment inquiry.
"Americans demand and deserve answers, transparency, and accountability for this abuse of public office," Mr. Comer charged. "This week, the House Oversight Committee will present evidence uncovered to date and hear from legal and financial experts about crimes the Bidens may have committed as they brought in millions at the expense of U.S. interests.”
President Biden has denied any wrongdoing or any knowledge of or involvement in his son’s business deals. He recently told reporters, "The best I can tell, [Republicans] want to impeach me because they want to shut down the government,” talking about fiscal conservatives' efforts to scrutinize government expenditure over their concerns about record inflation and the bloated national debt.
The forthcoming hearing will primarily address constitutional and legal concerns regarding the president's alleged involvement in corruption over the misuse of public office. Furthermore, the Oversight Committee intends to subpoena the personal and business bank records of Hunter and James Biden.
The Oversight Committee's overarching objective is to thoroughly follow the evidence and financial transactions, aiming to provide the transparency and accountability that the American populace expects from their government and its leaders.
When House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) recently announced that the House would launch the impeachment inquiry, he said it would have a particular emphasis on examining then-Vice President Biden's role in the business affairs of his son, Hunter Biden, and his brother, James Biden.
“House Republicans have uncovered serious and credible allegations into President Biden’s conduct. Taken together, these allegations paint a picture of a culture of corruption,” Mr. McCarthy said.
House Republicans have said they've uncovered evidence that President Biden had frequent interactions with business partners of Hunter Biden, including meetings at Cafe Milano in Washington.
During his vice presidency, President Biden is also accused of using pseudonyms in his emails, some of which corresponded with Hunter Biden.
It was also during this tenure that Hunter Biden and his associates received over $21 million, mainly from foreign sources. Hunter Biden faced tax violation charges, which were dropped due to a failed plea deal, and he now faces felony gun charges. He has since filed a lawsuit against the IRS, alleging a breach of his privacy rights in connection with the public discussion of their investigation into him.
Under the U.S. Constitution, the House can impeach with a simple majority vote, and then the Senate conducts the impeachment trial to examine the charges.
