House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) announced on Fox News that potential criminal referrals related to President Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, could be issued within weeks.
This statement comes because both Bidens declined invitations to appear before the committee. Comer emphasized that offering them a chance to testify was crucial in maintaining procedural fairness, noting the unprecedented nature of such referrals involving a sitting president and his family.
During his discussion with Fox’s Maria Bartiromo, Comer hinted that the committee is nearing the conclusion of its investigation, suggesting a faster timeline than previously indicated for these potential referrals. He expressed confidence that developments would expose rapidly, reinforcing the gravity and advancing stages of the inquiry.
President Joe Biden (Credits: The White House)
Comer’s contemplation of criminal referrals intersects with some Republicans’ skepticism regarding the feasibility of an impeachment effort against President Biden.
Despite this internal division, Comer maintains that impeachment remains a possibility, asserting that the president committed impeachable offenses by allegedly selling access to foreign adversaries.
This stance has generated contention within the committee, particularly highlighted during a recent hearing in a heated exchange with Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.). Raskin challenged Comer to specify the crimes he accuses President Biden of committing, underscoring a demand for clarity and evidence from the Republicans leading the investigation.
If the committee decides to proceed with criminal referrals, these would essentially recommend that the Justice Department investigate the alleged offenses. However, this approach might prove challenging, requiring a detailed presentation of supposed crimes and supporting evidence to a possibly skeptical Justice Department.
President Biden (Credits: UPI)
The department traditionally pursues cases only with a reasonable prospect of securing a conviction. Adding complexity to the situation, the Justice Department is already involved in cases against Hunter Biden regarding tax and gun charges across two states, following an extensive investigation that also led to the indictment of his business partner.
The credibility of allegations against President Biden suffered a blow when a former FBI informant, who had claimed that Biden accepted a bribe as vice president, was arrested for fabricating this allegation.
As these events reveal, Comer’s push for criminal referrals and potential impeachment articles continues to stir severe political debate and public attention, setting the stage for further developments in the coming weeks.
