Republican impeachment probe ‘baseless,’ US president’s son Hunter Biden says

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, is seen as he makes a surprise appearance at a House Oversight Committee markup and meeting to vote on whether to hold Biden in contempt of Congress for failing to respond to a request to testify

By Makini Brice

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden struck a defiant tone on Wednesday at a Republican-led House of Representatives impeachment inquiry into his father, calling it a “baseless” partisan pursuit against his family.

“For more than a year, your committees have hunted me in your partisan political pursuit of my dad,” the younger Biden said, according to prepared testimony released before the closed-door hearing.

“You do not have evidence to support the baseless and MAGA-motivated conspiracies about my father because there isn’t any,” Hunter Biden said, referring to the “Make America Great Again” slogan of his father’s likely November election opponent, Donald Trump.

Asked how the hearing had gone as he left the building, Hunter Biden replied, “Great.”

Republicans, who narrowly control the House, are pushing ahead with their impeachment inquiry even after a person who provided accusations at the heart of their case was charged with lying to the FBI.

The hearing, which lasted nearly seven hours, came three days before the U.S. government will run out of money to keep some agencies open if Congress fails to act by week’s end.

Investigators asked Hunter Biden, 54, about his business activities, including his role with Chinese firm CEFC and on the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma, and his personal life.

Hunter Biden’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, said, “The Republican members wanted to spend more time talking about my client’s addiction than they could ask any question that had anything to do what they call their impeachment inquiry.”

Hunter Biden has publicly discussed his past struggles with cocaine addiction.

House Republicans have been probing the Biden family’s business dealings and have cited claims the former FBI informant made that he has now been charged with lying about, with prosecutors warning that he had contact with Russian intelligence agencies.

Lawmakers said there would be a public hearing with Hunter Biden, though they did not provide details.

“I think this was a great deposition for us,” said James Comer, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, one of the panels at the center of the inquiry, adding later: “So this impeachment inquiry will now go to the next phase, which is a public hearing.”

House Republicans allege that Biden, a Democrat, and his family improperly profited from policy decisions Biden participated in as vice president during President Barack Obama’s administration in 2009-17. So far they have not presented evidence to back up these claims.

The White House has denied wrongdoing and says the probe is politically motivated.

Trump has publicly encouraged the impeachment inquiry. Trump was the only U.S. president to be impeached twice, though he was acquitted both times by the Senate.

Most witnesses to testify to the inquiry have said the president was not involved nor had any direct or indirect financial interest in his family’s business activities.

Prosecutors have questioned the credibility of the former informant, Alexander Smirnov, who is now charged with lying to the FBI.

“He is actively peddling new lies that could impact U.S. elections after meeting with Russian intelligence officials in November,” prosecutors wrote in a court document.

House Republicans downplayed the arrest and prosecution. House Democrats, meanwhile, said it was proof the impeachment inquiry should be abandoned.

It is not clear when or if House Republicans will make a decision on whether to draft articles of impeachment against the president.

Hardline Republicans have publicly called for the impeachment of Biden and other Cabinet officials. Earlier this month, the House approved the impeachment of Alejandro Mayorkas, Biden’s top border official, accusing him of failing to enforce border laws. The Senate has not yet taken it up.

Hunter Biden faces other legal challenges. Prosecutors have levied charges related to tax fraud and for illegally owning a firearm as a drug user. The younger Biden, who has spoken publicly about previous substance abuse issues, has pleaded not guilty in both cases.