The House Oversight and Accountability Committee will soon be interviewing James Biden, the brother of President Joe Biden. The Republicans on the committee say that his testimony will provide supporting evidence for the case of corruption they are building against the president.
The testimony is set to happen later this month (February 2024) and it could change the course of the impeachment proceedings against Joe Biden.
Who is James Biden?
James Biden’s full name is James Brian Biden, although he prefers to go by Jim. James is Joe Biden’s younger brother and The Washington Post reported that James has helped his brother with political events in the past. Reportedly, he served as a fundraiser for Joe Biden’s first Senate run in 1972.
Joe Biden has, in the past, referred to him as, “My brother Jimmy, who fixes everything.” (via The Washington Post)
Committee Testimony
The House Oversight and Accountability Committee hopes to hear testimony from James and Hunter Biden in an effort to find more information that can incriminate President Biden in the eyes of their fellow House members.
Previous efforts by Republicans to impeach the president have stalled, but this new testimony from Biden’s relatives could give them the push they need to build a case before the 2024 election.
False Bribery
According to Newsweek, an FBI informant was recently charged with making false bribery claims, which he told investigators. The man, Alexander Smirnov, was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 15th for false statements and manufacturing false records.
These charges came from Special Counsel David Wise, who previously had charged Hunter Biden with tax fraud and firearms charges, which Hunter has denied, filing a non-guilty plea.
Blow to Impeachment
The false bribery charge against Smirnov has made the impeachment proceedings against President Biden an uphill battle for Republicans. Previously, the bribe testimony was an important piece to the case they were building against the president.
The impeachment push is centered around the Ukrainian company Burisma, an energy company that Smirnov alleged to investigators paid Joe and Hunter Biden around $5 million in bribes to protect their business dealings. (via Newsweek)
What Is the President’s Alleged Involvement?
The crux of the allegations from impeachment proponents is that Joe Biden and his family have personally benefited in business deals because of Biden’s long-time political connections. Biden served as vice president to Barrack Obama for two terms before becoming US President himself in 2020.
Republicans and others have been intensely scrutinizing Biden and his family’s business dealings in the backdrop of war breaking out in Ukraine in 2022.
The Bidens Flatly Deny Allegations
The Biden administration and members of Biden’s family caught up in the web of investigations have flatly denied any wrongdoing or that they have used any improper influence of the government in their business dealings.
Despite the explosive allegations and media spectacle around Burisma and Joe Biden’s son Hunter, Republicans have not found any substantial incriminating evidence that ties the president to these business dealings.
What Could James Biden Tell the Committee?
Congressional committees are keen to ask James about his business dealings and any history or role Joe Biden previously had with them. Republicans are looking to build a corruption case against the President, trying to build a paper trail that can show improper behavior given his high station in the United States government.
One area of interest to House members could be two large checks that James Biden reportedly wrote to his brother between 2017 and 2018, which, according to Newsweek, were reportedly marked as “loan repayment.”
James Comer and the $200,000 Check
According to Newsweek, James Comer, the Chairman of the House Oversight Committee insisted that a $200,000 check was made out to Joe Biden the same day James received a $200,000 wire transfer from Americore Health.
James had previously had a relationship with this company, but it eventually went bankrupt.
Comments from Top Democrat
Jamie Raskin, a Maryland representative and the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, characterized this transaction differently.
“These records actually show that President Biden was the one who stepped in to help family members when they needed support, including by providing short-term loans to his brother,” Raskin said. (via Newsweek)
The $40,000 Check
The other check under scrutiny by the Oversight Committee is a $40,000 check, which Comer asserts is proof that the president laundered money, according to Newsweek.
Comer insists the president would launder money through James Biden’s business dealings, with one of the supposed companies involved being a Chinese energy firm with connections to Hunter Biden
What Will Result from These Interviews?
It’s unclear what consequences the information and testimony provided to the House committee will have for Joe Biden’s presidency.
Even if no incriminating evidence is found from the testimony, there might be political consequences for Joe Biden, who is facing a reelection challenge this year from presumed GOP nominee Donald Trump. Trump is facing his own scrutiny from political opponents and investigators, making several court appearances this year to contest allegations.
