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☆ How the House GOP’s Biden impeachment effort fell apart
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Annie Grayer | Melanie Zanona | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

“To me, success is impeachment from the House,” GOP Rep. Brian Mast said. Comer’s co-leads, House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan and House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith, are also fully behind the work. I don’t think that’s an impeachable offense,” GOP Rep. Jodey Arrington said. Even GOP Rep. Darrell Issa remarked after the first hour of questioning that Hunter Biden was prepared for the interview. There’s an election in seven months from now,” GOP Rep. Nick LaLota, who represents a New York district Biden won in 2020, told CNN.

Persons: James Comer, Joe Biden, –, Comer, Biden, “ Comer, Jesus, Alejandro Mayorkas, Comer –, “, Anna Paulina Luna –, Hunter Biden, it’s, ” Luna, ”, missteps, Brian Mast, Mike Johnson, Comer’s, Jim Jordan, Jason Smith, ” Johnson, Steve Scalise, Elise Stefanik, Kevin McCarthy, ” Bruce Dubinsky, McCarthy, Samuel Corum, Johnson, Jodey Arrington, Darrell Issa, …, Doug LaMalfa, Mayorkas, Tony Gonzales, Austin Scott, ” Comer, Donald Trump, Jordan, doesn’t, There’s, Nick LaLota, Jamie Raskin, Raskin Organizations: Washington CNN —, Republican, CNN, Kentucky Republican, Homeland, Biden, GOP, Republicans, Getty, White, Democratic, ”, Department of Justice Locations: Kentucky, ”, Washington , DC, –, Texas, New York

☆ House GOP Biden inquiry stalls as impeachment becomes less likely
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Annie Grayer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

Hunter Biden arrives at the Thomas P. O'Neil Jr. House Office Building for a closed door deposition on February 28, in Washington, DC. Abbe Lowell makes a statement to the press following a closed-door deposition before the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, and House Judiciary Committee in the O'Neill House Office Building on February 28, in Washington, DC. “He was well-prepared for the kind of questions,” Issa recounted of Hunter Biden. GOP focus shifts away from impeachment probeInvestigating the Biden family and going after President Biden was a top priority for House Republicans when they reclaimed the majority and got control of committees. GOP Rep. Ryan Zinke of Montana said the three Republican chairmen leading the impeachment inquiry have the same message: “They say we’re not in a position to go forward on impeachment.”

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Hunter Biden, James Comer, Jim Jordan, Comer, Donald Trump, Thomas P, O'Neil Jr, Countess, Merrick, Justice won’t, ” Comer, Mike Johnson, “, Jordan, Johnson, “ I’m, ” Johnson, Ralph Norman of, Troy Nehls, impeaching Biden, We’ve, Let’s, ”, ” Nehls, Alejandro Mayorkas, I’m, Trump, weaponized, ” Jordan, Vernon, Ed Siskel, ” Siskel, Hunter, Mary, ” Hunter, Abbe Lowell, Samuel Corum, Hunter Biden’s, Darrell Issa, ” Issa, Robert Hur, Garret Graves, Chip Roy, Texas, Lisa McClain, Richard Hudson of, it’s, Nick LaLota, ” Norman, Ryan Zinke Organizations: House Republicans, Department of Justice, CNN, Fox News, Merrick Garland’s Department, Justice, Louisiana Republican, ” Staff, GOP, Caucus, Democratic, Homeland, Senate, Trump, White, Getty, Committee, Republican, of, Hunter Biden, Republicans, Internal Revenue Service, Judiciary, House, House Republican, “ Locations: Washington ,, Merrick Garland’s, Louisiana, House, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Texas, Georgia, Miami, Vernon Hill, Florida, O'Neill, Washington , DC, California, Lisa McClain of Michigan, Richard Hudson of North Carolina, New York, Montana

☆ Opinion: What Hunter Biden and Donald Trump have in common
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Opinion Andrey Spektor | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Hunter Biden won’t be returning to the spotlight next week as the House Oversight Committee had hoped. The problem with the Hunter Biden investigation, though, is not its potential reliance on the word of a compromised informant. And in that sense, Hunter Biden shares something in common with an unlikely person: Trump, at least with respect to his criminal case in New York. Much like the gun charge against Hunter Biden, the tax indictment has left many former federal white-collar prosecutors like me scratching their heads. That doesn’t mean that Trump or Hunter Biden are innocent; indeed, the former has more serious cases to contend with.

Persons: Andrey Spektor, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, CNN — Hunter Biden won’t, James Comer’s, Joe Biden, Andrey Spektor Bryan Cave Leighton, Hunter, Alexander Smirnov, Biden, you’ve, Smirnov, Hunter Biden, –, Donald Trump –, that’s, Trump, Hunter Biden’s Organizations: CNN, Republicans, Biden, Republican, Department of Justice Tax, IRS, DOJ’s Locations: New York

Hunter Biden’s appearance Wednesday represents the most significant testimony to date for the two congressional committees leading the impeachment inquiry into President Biden, a probe that’s heavily focused on Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings. But it comes as a key allegation that launched the impeachment inquiry has been discredited. Sources familiar with terms negotiated between Hunter Biden’s team and congressional Republicans told CNN that Wednesday’s deposition will have several unique features that are different from the other interviews the committees have conducted to date. While Hunter Biden’s lawyers insisted that he would only testify publicly, Comer insisted that a public hearing would follow the private deposition. Republicans repeatedly pointed to Smirnov’s allegations as a reason for opening the impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden last fall.

Persons: Hunter Biden, Joe Biden’s, –, Hunter, Biden, Hunter Biden’s, James Comer’s, Comer, Joe Biden, Department’s, Alexander Smirnov, Jim Jordan, Jordan, Burisma, wouldn’t, Abbe Lowell, Lowell Organizations: Capitol, CNN, FBI, Republicans, GOP, Justice Department Locations: Washington

☆ Republicans to grill James Biden behind closed doors in critical interview as GOP looks for lifeline in impeachment probe
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Annie Grayer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Hunter Biden is expected to show for his closed-door interview next week, after intense deliberations that almost collapsed. The first check Republicans revealed went to Joe Biden in 2018 for $200,000 from James Biden and James’ wife Sara Biden. What other Biden family business associates have saidBeyond Fox and Langston, Republicans have recently interviewed a number of key Biden family business associates. Walker also attended a 2017 business meeting with Hunter Biden and Chinese business associates, where Joe Biden made an appearance. Another longtime Biden family business associate, Eric Schwerin, performed administrative and bookkeeping tasks for then-Vice President Joe Biden from 2009 to 2017.

Persons: Joe Biden, Hunter, James, Wednesday, Biden, Hunter Biden, Mike Johnson, —, David Weiss, Hunter Biden’s, Alexander Smirnov, Robert Hur’s, Biden’s, James Biden, James ’, Sara Biden, ”, James Comer, Comer, Carol Fox, ‘ Biden, ’, Fox, James Biden’s, Joseph Langston, Langston, “, “ Jimmy Biden, ” Langston, Rob Walker, Walker, Biden —, ” Walker, ‘, ’ ”, Eric Schwerin, ” Schwerin, Mervyn Yan, Kevin Morris, Tony Bobulinski, Georges Bergès, White, Bergès, ” Bergès Organizations: Republicans, GOP, CNN, FBI, Burisma Holdings, undercutting, White, Democratic, Banking, Republican, Biden, Kentucky Republican, Fox, Langston, “, White House Locations: South Korea, Washington ,, China, Kentucky, Americore, Romania, American

☆ House Republicans seek to downplay FBI informant charges that undermine Biden impeachment inquiry
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Annie Grayer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —House Republicans leading the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden tried to downplay the importance of an FBI informant whose claims they once championed after he was charged with fabricating foreign bribery allegations involving the president and his son. Special counsel David Weiss charged the FBI informant, Alexander Smirnov, with lying to the FBI and creating false records. The indictment is just the latest setback to House Republicans who are struggling to build momentum to impeach the president. In the wake of the charges, President Joe Biden called out the informant for lying and said Republicans should end their impeachment inquiry. In the wake of the charges, Republicans have seized on the idea that Smirnov was initially presented as a credible witness.

Persons: Joe Biden, David Weiss, Alexander Smirnov, Smirnov, Biden, Jim Jordan, Jordan, James Comer, Comer, Jason Smith, Joe Biden corruptly, Hunter, Donald Trump’s, Alejandro Mayorkas, ”, Jamie Raskin, “, Johnson, Scott Brady, Brady, ” Brady, Tony Bobulinski, ” Comer, Raskin, Hunter Biden, James, CNN’s Marshall Cohen Organizations: CNN — House Republicans, FBI, Republicans, CNN, Fox, of Homeland, House Republicans, Hunter Biden, CHS, GOP Locations: Ukraine, Ukrainian

☆ House GOP skeptical Biden inquiry leads to impeachment as election draws near
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Annie Grayer | Melanie Zanona | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Some of the ire has been directed at House Oversight Chairman James Comer, who has spearheaded the investigation into Biden family business records. “I don’t think it goes anywhere,” one Republican lawmaker said of the Biden impeachment inquiry. One senior GOP impeachment inquiry aide said it would be “a win too in our eyes” if the probe ended with legislative proposals to reform federal ethics laws, regardless of the decision on impeachment. House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, who is co-leading the investigation, acknowledged a Biden impeachment is not a forgone conclusion. “Nobody is talking about that,” said GOP Rep. Dan Newhouse of Washington state, when asked for his thoughts on the Biden impeachment inquiry.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden's, Hunter Biden, James, ahas, Scott Perry, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Biden, “, Nicole Malliotakis, ”, –, James Comer, Kevin McCarthy, Comer, we’ve, it’s, Alejandro Mayorkas, Jim Jordan, ” Jordan, Jason Smith, Biden – it’s, I’m, ” Comer, Comer’s, Steve Scalise, BIden’s, ” Scalise, Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania, David Schweikert, Mike Garcia of California, Dan Newhouse, David Valadao of, you’re, Hunter Biden’s, Hunter, Victoria Spartz, “ It’s, ” CNN’s Haley Talbot Organizations: Republicans, Democratic, GOP, Republican, New York, CNN, Homeland, Representatives, Committee, Biden, Washington, Victoria Locations: Scott Perry of, New, Jordan, Missouri, Arizona, David Valadao of California, Victoria Spartz of Indiana, House

The Democratic president's son slammed the inquiry as a “fishing expedition” and refused to give closed-door testimony but said he would "answer any pertinent and relevant question” in front of the House Oversight Committee next month, setting up a potential high-stakes face-off. Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, subpoenaed Hunter Biden in early November in the inquiry's most aggressive step yet and one that tests the reach of congressional oversight powers. So far, Republicans have failed to uncover evidence directly implicating President Biden in any wrongdoing. The subpoena demanded Hunter Biden appear before the Oversight Committee for a deposition by mid-December. Hunter Biden is now charged with three firearms felonies related to the 2018 purchase of a gun during a period he has acknowledged being addicted to drugs.

Persons: — Hunter Biden, Joe Biden, James Comer of, Hunter Biden, Biden, James Biden, Rob Walker, Hunter, Abbe Lowell, ” Lowell, Richard Sauber, Farnoush Amiri Organizations: WASHINGTON, Democratic, Republicans, Biden, Democrats, GOP, Congressional, Associated Press Locations: James Comer of Kentucky, Washington, California

☆ US attorney who initially vetted Biden bribery tip explains why it deserved further scrutiny
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Marshall Cohen | Annie Grayer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

His testimony sheds new light on how his office vetted the tip, and he disputed past Democratic claims that he “closed” the matter without recommending any further scrutiny. However, it doesn’t bolster the GOP narrative that Joe Biden or his son Hunter Biden were offered or accepted a bribe. The informant described his interactions with Mykola Zlochevsky, a Ukrainian oligarch and owner of the energy company Burisma, where Hunter Biden had served on the board. The saga of a once-trusted FBI informant bringing explosive but unverified claims about a presidential candidate is reminiscent of the Christopher Steele debacle in 2016. This time, the political roles are reversed: Republicans are championing the unproven bribery claims, as Democrats try to discredit the material.

Persons: Hunter, Scott Brady, Brady, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, Rudy Giuliani, The uncorroborated Biden, ”, Mykola Zlochevsky, Zlochevsky, “, ” Brady, Biden, David Weiss, Weiss ’, Lev Parnas, Petro Poroshenko, Hunter Biden’s, Jamie Raskin, Brady “, ” Raskin, “ Raskin, “ That’s, Weiss, Raskin, “ Mr, Brady’s, James Comer, Comer, Christopher Steele, Steele’s, Trump, he’s Organizations: CNN, Hunter Biden, House Republicans, Biden, Justice Department, Democratic, Trump, FBI, CHS, Giuliani, Ukrainian, White, Democrats, Maryland, Western, Western District of Pennsylvania, Kremlin Locations: Ukraine, Ukrainian, Delaware, Pittsburgh, Western District, America, Russia

☆ House Oversight GOP claims they don’t need to find direct payments to Joe Biden to prove corruption in Hunter Biden business dealings memo
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Annie Grayer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“President Biden’s defenders purport a weak defense by asserting the Committee must show payments directly to the President to show corruption,” the House Oversight Republicans wrote. “It appears no real services were provided other than access to the Biden network, including Joe Biden himself. Even though Hunter Biden was not directly involved, House Oversight Republicans are attempting to show how a portion of the $3.5 million was transferred into multiple accounts until it entered an account connected to Hunter Biden. In a 2020 Senate report, Republicans revealed the existence of the payment from Baturina to a company tied to Hunter Biden’s business associates. The memo focuses on deals and transactions Hunter Biden made with foreign oligarchs and leaders in Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

Persons: Joe Biden, Hunter, Biden’s, ” Hunter Biden, Republicans –, Donald Trump –, Biden, “, Ian Sams, ”, Jamie Raskin, Trump’s, Hunter Biden, Joe Biden’s, James Comer, Devon Archer, Archer, Yelena Baturina, Café, –, ” Archer, Hunter Biden’s, Comer Organizations: CNN, “, Republicans, Biden Administration, White, House Republicans, Democrat, Democratic, “ Republicans, Republican, Burisma, Café Milano Locations: Maryland, Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine, Kentucky, Ukrainian, Burisma

☆ News organizations are struggling to cover media figures and politicians peddling delusions
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Some news organizations are beating around the bush when covering prominent figures who hold detestable views, many of which are wholly unhinged from reality. That has been on display over the last 24 hours on three different fronts: In stories about Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “This type of normal language news organizations use doesn’t communicate how unhinged some of this stuff is,” media columnist Margaret Sullivan told me Tuesday. But the duty of a journalist and news organizations is to tell the story, without fear or favor. It gives those figures who profit financially and/or politically from extremist rhetoric license to continue trafficking in the destructive noise.

Persons: Robert F, Kennedy, Jr, James Comer, Andrew Tate, peddle, Comer, Tate, Margaret Sullivan, ” Sullivan, ”, Jonathan Reiner, George Washington, ” Reiner, Donald Trump, Hunter Biden, Joe Biden, Alex Jones, Jones Organizations: CNN, Republican, Democratic, Department of Justice, Tate Locations: Kentucky

☆ Opinion | E. Jean Carroll Must Be Going Through Hell
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Michelle Goldberg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The story is schematic and the script, by the end, turns didactic, but Comer’s blazing, magnificent performance elevates the show into greatness. I kept thinking about “Prima Facie” as I sat in the Manhattan courtroom where E. Jean Carroll is suing Donald Trump for battery and defamation stemming from a rape that she alleges occurred in the mid-1990s. “The lived experience of sexual assault is not remembered in a neat, consistent, scientific parcel,” Tessa says. Both sides rested on Thursday — the Trump camp declined to call a single witness — and closing arguments are scheduled for Monday. Two of Carroll’s friends, Lisa Birnbach and Carol Martin, testified that Carroll told them that Trump had assaulted her shortly after it happened.

☆ James Comer’s Two Jobs: Probe Bidens, Manage GOP Firebrands
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Natalie Andrews | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—The Republican leading several investigations related to President Biden and his administration faces the dual challenges of keeping the politically charged probes on track while also managing hard-line conservatives eager to put their own stamp on the proceedings. As part of these probes, Rep. James Comer (R., Ky.) is requesting information and planning hearings to dig into whether the president’s son, Hunter Biden , improperly used his family ties to gain wealth or influence. The chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee says the examination is long overdue, after years of Republicans’ demands for scrutiny of the family. Democrats criticize the effort as a politically motivated sideshow.

☆ Republicans held a hearing to prove Twitter’s bias against them. It backfired in spectacular fashion
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Despite no real evidence to support this weighty and consequential claim, Republicans were unrelenting in peddling it to the American public. Republicans showed, once again, that they are married to pushing claims that Silicon Valley is intentionally and unjustly censoring conservative views, even when the facts do not contort with their narrative. Ironically, the hearing appeared to reveal that Twitter had acquiesced to Trump and changed its policies after it concluded that he had violated its rules. And the hearing hinted that the Trump White House attempted to censor the speech of at least one American: Chrissy Teigen. Strangely enough, Republicans showed no interest in drilling down on this allegation of censorship.

☆ 'Bellyaching': Democratic unity defending Biden begins to see defections
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Peter Nicholas | Peter Nicholas Is Senior White House Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

WASHINGTON — A Democratic push to discredit the congressional Republicans who are launching a slew of investigations into President Joe Biden may be fracturing because of an unexpected obstacle: fellow Democrats. And former Vice President Mike Pence revealed this week that he, too, had discovered classified documents in his Indiana home. On Capitol Hill, House Republicans have opened an oversight inquiry into Biden’s handling of the records. (Both the White House and the Secret Service said they don’t keep such records for his personal residence.) The White House counsel’s office now has a communications arm to quickly respond to Republican allegations of presidential wrongdoing.

☆ House Oversight chair calls for release of visitor logs from Biden’s Delaware home
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Julie-Tsirkin-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Julie Tsirkin | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

WASHINGTON — House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., on Sunday asked for the release of visitors logs from President Joe Biden’s home in Delaware in a letter to White House chief of staff Ron Klain. “Given the serious national security implications, the White House must provide the Wilmington residence’s visitor log,” Comer wrote in the letter to Klain. The former president’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida was searched by the FBI last year after multiple attempts to obtain classified documents. The president is cooperating with the Justice Department and National Archives amid the discovery of the classified documents, she said. "He showed no interest in investigating the far more serious situation with about 100 classified documents at Mar-a-Lago with evidence in the public domain of obstruction.

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