Republican lawmaker James Comer has defended himself from a mocking backlash over his $4,000 Hunter Biden “bombshell”.
The House Oversight Committee Chair – who is leading a controversial impeachment “hearing” into the president – came under fire for touting subpoenaed financial records that he said proved Joe Biden received monthly payments from a business account used by his son.
Lawyers for Hunter Biden have pointed out that the three monthly $1,380 payments were a loan for a truck that he was not able to finance himself – and that it took place during the period between Mr Biden serving as vice president and president.
Mr Comer, a congressman from Kentucky, appeared on Newsmax on Monday night to hit back at his critics and defend the “evidence” he had put forward in his ongoing attempt to impeach Joe Biden.
“This is what the media said we had to have,” said Mr Comer. “This is what [White House press secretary Karine] Jean-Pierre said didn’t exist; she said ‘Joe Biden was never in business with his son. He never received any money from his son.’ Joe Biden said, ‘Show me the money.’ Here’s more evidence of more money going directly to Joe Biden.”
Newsmax host Rob Schnitt asked Mr Comer about the “swing and a miss” reaction his latest evidence had received on Capitol Hill.
Mr Comer called it “bullcrap” and tried to argue that Joe Biden had “benefited directly” because his son had paid back the loan.
“Look, if he wanted to send his money to his son for a truck, then sending money for his truck, but he got paid back from China,” asserted the lawmaker.
“So it doesn’t matter whether all this money we’re showing that’s going into Joe Biden’s back pocket was a loan or not, which it wasn’t.”
Mr Comer’s efforts to impeach the president – egged on by Donald Trump, who was himself impeached twice – have so far failed to lay a glove on Mr Biden. After Mr Comer’s first hearing, in which even one of his own witnesses said he didn’t believe there was evidence against Mr Biden worthy of impeachment, some Republicans reportedly called the session an “unmitigated disaster”.
