Representative Jamie Raskin made a scathing critique of the Republican endeavor to impeach Joe Biden on Wednesday, branding the ongoing inquiry as “the most spectacular failure in the history of congressional investigations.”
The House Oversight Committee convened on Wednesday to hear testimony from Tony Bobulinski, Hunter Biden’s former business associate entangled in dubious business dealings, and Jason Galanis, who testified via video call from a federal prison serving a 14-year sentence for financial fraud.
Republicans tout both individuals as evidence of the Biden family’s corruption, despite Hunter Biden’s assertion that he only met Galanis once.
“In all probability, today marks the culmination of what could be deemed as the most spectacular failure in the annals of congressional investigations: the pursuit to unearth a high crime or misdemeanor committed by Joe Biden and subsequently impeach him for it,” Raskin, the ranking Oversight member, stated in his opening address. His aide held up a poster featuring quotes from conservative outlets Fox News and the Washington Examiner, acknowledging the absence of concrete evidence from the impeachment investigation.
Raskin recounted what he termed as “comical episodes” in the Republicans’ “long-running absurd series,” highlighting how almost all of the GOP’s purported “star” witnesses confirmed that the president had no involvement in his family’s business affairs. Despite combing through extensive financial records, lawmakers failed to uncover any evidence of Biden’s wrongdoing.
Raskin absolutely demolishes the entire Republican impeachment push in just over 2 minutes pic.twitter.com/zTkD5JmmHU
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 20, 2024
Throughout the investigation, Raskin pointed out, Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene brandished Hunter Biden’s explicit photos during a hearing (and potentially disseminated them to minors). Notably, one of the GOP’s principal witnesses, Gal Luft, faces charges of acting as a foreign agent for China and engaging in arms dealing.
Alexander Smirnov, the former FBI informant who initially accused the Bidens of accepting bribes, confessed to fabricating the entire allegation, admitting he was fed the story by a Russian intelligence officer.
“The cascade of errors reaches its climax, as House Republicans from over a dozen Biden districts plead for clemency, and the Committee launches a futile Hail Mary pass weeks after the Super Bowl,” Raskin remarked.
Despite Oversight Chair James Comer and Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan’s unwavering commitment to the investigation, some Republicans have begun to lose faith in it. Representative Ken Buck, the sole Republican openly opposing the impeachment inquiry, announced his departure from Congress, citing the investigation as a significant factor.
“We’ve trivialized impeachment, reducing it to a social media spectacle rather than upholding its constitutional essence,” Buck commented upon his retirement announcement. “This institution continues its descent, and I see no reason to remain here.”
