President Biden says he has “never been involved” in the business dealings of other members of his family, his brother James Biden appears Wednesday in a voluntary private interview on Capitol Hill as part of House Republicans' impeachment inquiry I testified when I did.
“I have a 50-year career in various business ventures. Joe Biden has never been involved in any of these activities and has no direct or indirect financial interest in them. None.” the younger Biden said in an opening statement obtained by The Associated Press.
The interview with James Biden is the latest in a series of recent interviews conducted by Republicans in an effort to revive impeachment proceedings over the Biden family's finances, which have stalled in recent months.
Criticism over the lack of evidence directly linking the president has also grown among Republicans, with some criticizing Biden's family for allegedly trying to use his last name on company paychecks. Some people are throwing cold water at the suspicion that he was involved. The Republican investigation stalled again last week when an FBI informant who alleged there was a multimillion-dollar bribery scheme involving the president, his son Hunter, and a Ukrainian energy company was indicted on trumped-up charges. became.
The informant's claims were central to Republican efforts in Congress to investigate the president and his family. Hunter Biden's lawyer, scheduled to give a deposition next week, said the charges show the investigation was “based on dishonest and unreliable allegations and witnesses.”
James and Hunter Biden were subpoenaed by the committee in November. Lawyers for James Biden said the subpoena was unwarranted because the committee had already examined private bank records and transactions between the two brothers. The committee found records of two loans made while Joe Biden was not in office or a presidential candidate.
In his opening statement, James Biden said, “My presence here today provides information to the committee that concludes that the negative and destructive assumptions about my relationship with my brother Joe are false.'' You can get it.” “There is no basis to continue this investigation.”
But Republicans have defended the Biden family, saying evidence they have amassed since early last year reveals a troubling picture of “influence peddling” in the family's business dealings, particularly with foreign clients. is repelling.
Associated Press video journalist Dan Huff contributed to this report.
