House Republicans Set to Interview Hunter Biden as Impeachment Inquiry Faces Uncertainty

Republicans Continue Investigation into Biden Family Business

Months of investigation into the Biden family's business dealings have led House Republicans to the next phase of their inquiry. The central figure in this investigation, Hunter Biden, is set to testify in a closed-door deposition Wednesday before GOP-led congressional committees. This comes more than a year after the inquiry was launched.

Hunter Biden's Testimony

A source familiar with Hunter Biden's plans has informed CBS News that he will reiterate in his testimony that his father had no role in his business ventures. Despite the ongoing investigation, Hunter Biden maintains that President Biden was not involved in any of his business activities.

Republican-led Efforts

The Republican-led effort has been actively pursuing witness testimony and gathering documents since the inquiry began last year. According to a House Oversight Committee source, the investigation has produced dozens of hours of witness testimony, scores of subpoenas and requests for records, and gathered more than 100,000 pages of documents.

Democrats' Response

Democrats have expressed skepticism regarding the evidence presented by Republicans. They have stated that there is no clear evidence of wrongdoing by President Biden. Rep. Jamie Raskin, the Oversight Committee's top Democrat, emphasized that in order to impeach a president, evidence of treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors is required. He highlighted that the current evidence falls short of even a simple misdemeanor that could be prosecuted.

Uncertain Path Forward

It remains unclear what the path forward will be for Republicans following Hunter Biden's testimony. He has been seen as the linchpin of their impeachment case, particularly in relation to alleged pay-to-play scandals involving Ukrainian and Chinese companies. However, without concrete evidence to support their claims, the impeachment effort faces challenges.

Setback in the Inquiry

Republicans faced a setback when a key element of the inquiry appeared to collapse. Ex-FBI informant, Alexander Smirnov, has been indicted for making false bribery allegations about the Bidens. This indictment revealed that he falsely claimed that "Public Official 1," believed to be President Biden, had received millions from Ukrainian interests. This development has raised questions about the credibility of the information previously presented by Republicans.

Republican Strategy and Challenges

With a razor-thin majority in the House, Republicans are facing challenges in garnering enough votes to impeach President Biden. Approximately 20 GOP House members, many from districts that Mr. Biden won in 2020, are hesitant to risk their seats on a controversial vote without substantial evidence of wrongdoing by the president.

Potential Next Steps

Based on past impeachments, the House Government Oversight and Ways and Means Committees would write a report and send it to the Judiciary Committee once their investigations are concluded. The Judiciary Committee could then hold its own hearing and move towards drafting articles of impeachment. However, the decision to hold a full House vote to impeach the president would ultimately rest with Speaker Mike Johnson, who may seek to avoid a likely defeat.

Alternative Strategy

An alternative strategy that Democrats are predicting involves Republicans dragging out the inquiry. This could involve calling more witnesses, holding additional hearings, and using the extended investigation period to score political points against Mr. Biden as the presidential campaign progresses.

Continued Investigation

House Oversight Chairman James Comer, along with his Republican colleagues who have led the congressional investigation into the Bidens, have indicated that the inquiry is not yet concluded. According to Comer, Hunter Biden's deposition "is not the conclusion of the impeachment inquiry." He expressed the intention to continue with more subpoenas and witness interviews while also considering legislative reforms to federal ethics laws and determining whether articles of impeachment are warranted.