House Republicans issued a report on Monday accusing President Joe Biden of committing offences that could justify his impeachment.
The 291-page report, prepared by three House committees, alleges that Biden engaged in “abuse of power” and “obstruction of justice or obstruction of Congress” concerning a $27 million influence-peddling scheme involving his family.
The investigation, initiated in September 2023, was sparked by evidence suggesting that Biden, now 81, had interacted with his relatives’ foreign business partners as vice president. The probe gained momentum following allegations from two IRS investigators of a Justice Department coverup. According to the report, Biden’s actions warrant proceedings that could lead to his removal from office.
The report states, “Joe Biden has exhibited conduct and taken actions that the Founders sought to guard against in drafting the impeachment provisions in the Constitution: abuse of power, foreign entanglements, corruption, and obstruction of investigations into these matters.” It further claims that the Biden family, with Biden’s full knowledge and cooperation, engaged in a global influence-peddling scheme that netted them millions of dollars.
The congressional impeachment inquiry, which began in September 2023, was ratified by the House of Representatives in December 2023 along party lines, with all Republican lawmakers voting in favour. The investigation included interviews with 30 witnesses, issuing 30 subpoenas, and the collection of millions of pages of documents, including business contracts and bank records.
The report accuses Biden of aiding the questionable business ventures of his son, Hunter Biden, 54, and his brother, James Biden, 75, and then attempting to cover up the family’s activities by resisting congressional oversight.
It alleges that Biden “knowingly participated” in a conspiracy to monetize his public office for the financial benefit of his family during and after his vice presidency.
The report highlights that as much as $18 million allegedly flowed from foreign entities to shell companies and other accounts linked to the Biden family, with another $9 million in profits reportedly earned by Biden family associates, including former business partners of Hunter Biden. The report alleges that Biden’s interactions with foreign patrons, which included meetings, phone calls, and dinners, implied that these individuals had access to him in exchange for payments to advance their business interests.
Despite the severity of the accusations, Biden is not expected to be impeached by the House, where Republicans hold a narrow 220-212 majority. The report’s political impact may be diminished by Biden’s recent decision to retire, announced on July 21, following concerns within his party about his mental acuity.
Some aspects of the foreign dealings detailed in the report are expected to be examined further in Hunter Biden’s upcoming federal tax trial in Los Angeles, where he faces charges of evading $1.4 million in taxes between 2016 and 2019.
These charges, along with a gun felony case in Delaware, were brought after IRS agents alleged preferential treatment of the Biden family and false testimony to Congress by Attorney General Merrick Garland.
The Republican report casts a shadow over President Biden’s legacy, contradicting his public claims that he “never” discussed business with his son or brother and “did not” interact with their business partners. It concludes that the Biden family’s influence-peddling activities involved entities and individuals from some of America’s greatest adversaries, such as China and Russia.
The report also suggests that the Biden family and their associates used tactics to conceal Joe Biden’s involvement, including funnelling money through shell companies, using code names, and employing other methods to maintain “plausible deniability.”
While the report calls for the House of Representatives to consider appropriate next steps, it remains unlikely that Republicans will muster enough votes to impeach Biden. However, a lesser reprimand, such as a censure, could be possible in the GOP-controlled House.
Democrats, meanwhile, have defended Biden, arguing that he did nothing wrong and was merely a supportive father to his son Hunter, who has struggled with addiction. They also pointed out that other prominent families have had dealings with foreign firms during or shortly after their relatives held office.
The report adds fuel to the ongoing political firestorm as it details Biden’s alleged interactions with foreign patrons, including those from China, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Ukraine. It highlights explicitly Hunter Biden’s lucrative role on the board of Ukraine’s Burisma Holdings, despite his lack of relevant industry experience, which began just weeks after Joe Biden, then vice president, was appointed as the Obama administration’s point person on Ukraine policy.
