Attorneys representing James Biden reportedly have reached out to the House Oversight Committee confirming that the president's brother will sit with lawmakers and answer their questions regarding his business dealings.
"[W]e have heard from James Biden's attorney, and they have signaled that he will come and answer questions in front of the House Oversight Committee, and we're very appreciative of that look forward to that," Comer stated on John Solomon's Just the News, No Noise television show.
Per Comer, House Republican investigators have collected a big trove of documents with regard to the first family's business dealings. The trove reportedly includes IRS notes from James Biden's interview with the FBI, which IRS agent-turned-whistleblower Gary Shapley and his subordinate Joseph Ziegler handed over to the GOP lawmakers. Republican investigators also have a lot of bank records which they subpoenaed.
"So we have several specific questions for James Biden," Comer said. "And yes, he will be an absolutely crucial witness to our investigation and help us continue to connect the dots as to what exactly the Biden family was doing to receive millions of millions of dollars from our enemies around the world."
Last week, the House panel subpoenaed President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, brother, James, and family associate, Rob Walker, "to appear for depositions." Comer told journalists that the House Oversight Committee "has built a record of evidence revealing how Joe Biden knew, was involved, and benefited from his family’s influence-peddling schemes." Per the panel's chairman, it's now important to question members of the Biden family and their associates "on this record of evidence."
Earlier, in August, the House Committee on Oversight announced that it had managed to identify over $20 million in payments from foreign sources to the Biden family and their business associates during Joe Biden's vice presidency. "Joe Biden was allegedly 'The Brand' sold around the world to enrich the Biden family and he was used to 'signal' their access, influence, and power," the panel concluded. On September 12, 2023, then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced an impeachment inquiry into President Biden.
Meanwhile, GOP investigators are continuing to inform the public about their probe. Earlier this month, Comer stated that Joe Biden received a personal check for $40,000 in allegedly laundered money from China involving Hunter Biden’s companies. Prior to that, House Republicans drew attention to a $250,000 loan from a foreign businessman received by Hunter immediately after his father, Joe Biden, announced his 2020 election bid. The loan was later paid off by Hunter's lawyer, a Democratic Party donor, raising further questions from the lawmakers.
Meanwhile, the White House has recently signaled that it not only wouldn't cooperate with the GOP House panel but would seek to prevent the Bidens and their associates from testifying.
In response, Comer expressed confidence that the probe will go on, adding that new House Speaker Mike Johnson will help hold responsible everyone who doesn't respect congressional subpoenas.
"So I believe that all these people will come in. We've got Speaker Johnson has made it clear to both Jim Jordan and myself that anyone who doesn't honor a subpoena will get a loud and clear message from Congress," Comer said.
On Wednesday, Johnson publicly emphasized his backing of an impeachment inquiry into the president and the first family. This signal of support came after the Washington Post's report quoted the speaker as allegedly saying that there was not yet enough evidence to kick off formal impeachment proceedings against Biden.
"At this stage, our impeachment inquiry has already shown the corrupt conduct of the President’s family, and that he and White House officials have repeatedly lied about his knowledge and involvement in his family’s business activities," Johnson stated on November 15.
"Now, the appropriate step is to place key witnesses under oath and question them under the penalty of perjury, to fill gaps in the record. I commend the good work of Chairmen Comer, Jordan, and Smith. As we move forward toward an inflection point in this critical investigation, they have my full and unwavering support."