Republicans are leading an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, accusing him of lying about family members' business dealings and not removing them from his official duties. The House Oversight Committee, led by Republicans, has not revealed new information about Biden's financial ties to his troubled son Hunter Biden, who pursued international business ventures while struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. Republicans argue that Hunter Biden and other family members were selling access to Biden himself.
The hearing came just three days before a government shutdown as Congress struggles to pass legislation to fund federal agencies due to a fight over funding and immigration. Republicans have yet to uncover evidence of wrongdoing by Biden after months of initial investigations that have produced thousands of pages of financial records. The White House claims the inquiry is unfounded and driven by politics ahead of the 2024 presidential election, when Biden will likely face a rematch with Republican Donald Trump, who faces four upcoming criminal trials.
At the center of the investigation are allegations that Biden pressured Ukraine to fire a top prosecutor to shield Burisma, a company for which Hunter Biden was on the board of directors. Democrats unsuccessfully pressed the panel to subpoena former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, who had sought to uncover evidence of Biden wrongdoing in Ukraine, as well as Lev Parnas, a former associate who has denounced Giuliani's effort. House Republicans have said they plan to seek personal and business bank records for Hunter Biden and James Biden, the president's brother.
The hearing comes as House Republicans are locked in a showdown with Biden and his fellow Democrats over government funding for the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1. Wide swaths of the government will shut down if they do not reach agreement. The White House said the consequences for the American people would be very damaging.
