On Monday, August 19, House Republicans unveiled a scathing report accusing President Biden of committing at least two impeachable offenses, just hours before his scheduled address at the Democratic National Convention.
The investigation, launched last September, was driven by evidence indicating that Biden, 81, regularly interacted with his family’s foreign business associates during his time as vice president. The report also includes allegations from two IRS investigators who claim the Justice Department orchestrated an extensive cover-up.
A 291-page report released by three House committees accuses President Biden of “abuse of power” and “obstruction of justice or obstruction of Congress,” alleging that he corruptly facilitated and concealed a $27 million “influence-peddling scheme” that could potentially lead to his removal from office.
The report asserts, “Joe Biden has engaged in conduct that the Founders intended to prevent through the impeachment provisions in the Constitution: abuse of power, foreign entanglements, corruption, and obstruction of investigations into these matters.”
It further alleges that the Biden family, with President Biden’s full knowledge and cooperation, was involved in a global influence-peddling operation that generated millions of dollars.
The congressional impeachment inquiry began in September 2023 and was formally approved by the House of Representatives in December 2023 through a partisan vote, with unanimous support from Republican lawmakers.
The investigation involved interviewing 30 witnesses, issuing 30 subpoenas to compel testimony, and collecting millions of pages of business contracts, bank records, and other documents.
The report accuses President Biden of aiding the questionable business ventures of his son, Hunter Biden, 54, and his brother, James Biden, 75, while also attempting to obstruct congressional oversight to conceal their actions.
Biden, who announced his retirement on July 21 amid concerns about his mental fitness, is alleged to have “knowingly participated” in a conspiracy to use his public office for personal gain during and after his vice presidency in the Obama administration.
The report asserts, “Joe Biden’s involvement in his family’s influence peddling represents one of the most egregious abuses of power in U.S. history, given the substantial financial benefits to a public official’s personal interests.”
It is claimed that up to $18 million was funneled from foreign entities into “shell companies” and accounts linked to the Biden family, originating from “corrupt dealings” that marketed the “Biden brand” to partners in Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Russia, and China.
In addition, associates of the Biden family, including former business partners of Hunter Biden, reportedly received another $9 million in profits.
The report, produced by the House Oversight, Judiciary, and tax-focused Ways & Means Committees, suggests that the president met with, spoke on the phone, and dined with these foreign clients, implying that in exchange for their payments, they would gain access to him to advance their business interests.
Biden is unlikely to face impeachment in the House, where Republicans hold a narrow 220-212 majority, partly due to his diminished political relevance after withdrawing from the race for a second term.
Some of the foreign dealings may come under scrutiny next month during Hunter Biden’s federal tax trial in Los Angeles, where he faces charges of evading $1.4 million in taxes between 2016 and 2019.
These charges, along with a gun felony case in Delaware that resulted in Hunter’s conviction on June 11, stem from allegations by IRS agents Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler of preferential treatment for the Biden family and misleading testimony to Congress by Attorney General Merrick Garland regarding the probe’s independence.
Hunter initially agreed to a plea deal that included only probation, but he withdrew from it last July after seeking broader immunity, including protection from issues that could implicate his father.
The Republican report casts a shadow over Biden’s legacy, challenging his public assertions that he “never” discussed business with his son or brother and that he “did not” interact with their business partners, despite substantial evidence to the contrary.
The report claims that “the Biden family’s influence peddling was extensive, involving entities and individuals from some of America’s greatest adversaries, such as China and Russia.”
It also suggests that the Biden family and their associates were “fully aware of the political risks” associated with Biden’s involvement and sought to conceal it by routing funds through a complex web of shell companies, using code names, and employing other strategies to maintain what James Biden called “plausible deniability.”
The Committees have presented this information to the House of Representatives for evaluation and consideration of appropriate next steps.
Democrats argue that Biden has done nothing wrong, portraying him as a supportive father to his son Hunter, who has struggled with addiction to alcohol and drugs. They also point out that members of other first families have similarly engaged with foreign state-linked firms during or soon after their influential relatives held office.