Another week, another lesson House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer failed to learn from children’s folktales. Not only does Comer have no evidence to justify his sham impeachment inquiry, but 47 percent of Americans are opposed to it. Americans clearly see what Comer’s “investigation” really is: a political stunt designed to distract from the fact that House Republicans have wasted time and taxpayer money on petty partisan games rather than addressing the real issues facing Americans.
This week, Comer truly became the king of shambles. There were not one, but two reports of discontent among congressional Republicans with Comer’s antics. One House Republican said Comer had led a “parade of embarrassments.” A source close to House GOP leadership said Comer was leading a “clueless investigation.” A senior House GOP aide said Comer and House Oversight Republicans “looked like buffoons.” Then, Senate Republicans went on the record to say that the House GOP’s impeachment inquiries were a distraction with Senator Mitt Romney going as far to say, “they’ve got nothing.” Then, Comer did what he does best: cherry-picked and misrepresented the testimony of an Oversight Committee interviewee. Finally, yet another witness told the House Oversight Committee that President Biden was not involved in his son’s business dealings.
It’s been more than a year and the only thing Comer has proven is that there appears to be no limit to his embarrassment.
James Comer: The Chairman Has No Clothes
The Hill: “47 Percent In New Poll Opposed To Biden Impeachment Inquiry”
HOUSE REPUBLICANS THINK JAMES COMER HAS PRESIDED OVER A “CLUELESS INVESTIGATION” AND “PARADE OF EMBARRASSMENTS”
The Messenger: “Republicans Turn On Their Impeachment Chairman: ‘Parade Of Embarrassments’ (Exclusive)”
House Republican: “One Would Be Hard Pressed To Find The Best Moment For James Comer In The Oversight Committee. It’s Been A Parade Of Embarrassments.” “Less than 10 months away from the 2024 election, his impeachment investigation is barreling toward its conclusion, with no smoking gun to bring the president to his knees. Only one thing is clear: Comer, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, has lost the trust of some in his own party. ‘One would be hard pressed to find the best moment for James Comer in the Oversight Committee,’ one House Republican lawmaker, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to maintain internal relationships, told The Messenger. ‘It’s been a parade of embarrassments.’” [The Messenger, 1/24/24]
Personal Ally Of Donald Trump: “Comer Has Cast A Wide Net And Caught Very Little Fish. That Is A Big Problem For Him.” “Republican sources have a problem with what the investigation has not accomplished. The probe has taken a winding road, jetting off into different paths of inquiry, some more obscure than others, from chasing claims of foreign bribery and influence peddling to probing the sale of Hunter Biden’s artwork and loans between the president and his brother. Republicans at the highest level of the party criticize the chairman’s unfocused investigation. ‘Comer has cast a wide net and caught very little fish. That is a big problem for him,’ one personal ally of former President Donald Trump told The Messenger.” [The Messenger, 1/24/24]
Source Close To House GOP Leadership: “James Comer Continues To Embarrass Himself And House Republicans. He Screws Up Over And Over And Over. I Don’t Know How Republicans Actually Impeach The President Based On His Clueless Investigation And Lack Of Leadership.” “But they now fear Comer’s mismanagement of the inquiry has ruined the GOP party’s opportunity to score a much-ballyhooed election-year victory of impeaching the president, one source close to House GOP leadership said. ‘James Comer continues to embarrass himself and House Republicans. He screws up over and over and over,’ the source said. ‘I don’t know how Republicans actually impeach the president based on his clueless investigation and lack of leadership.’” [The Messenger, 1/24/24]
Senior House GOP Aide: “It Seems Like [House Oversight Committee Republicans] Got Played By Hunter Biden. It Was A Disaster. They Looked Like Buffoons.” “When the Oversight Committee met two weeks ago to debate the contempt resolution, Hunter Biden pulled a show-stopping stunt by appearing in person in the hearing room, turning the proceedings into a circus of vulgarities, with one Republican lawmaker shouting that the first son has ‘no balls.’ ‘It seems like they got played by Hunter Biden,’ one senior House GOP aide said. ‘It was a disaster. They looked like buffoons.’” [The Messenger, 1/24/24]
The Messenger: “Republicans Also Have Grown Tired Of Comer’s Frequent TV Hits On Conservative Networks Like Fox News And Newsmax In Which They Say He Promises Bombshell Information, But Then Fails To Produce Impeachable Evidence To Meet The Bar He Himself Has Set Too High.” [The Messenger, 1/24/24]
MSNBC: “Even Republicans Disapprove Of Comer’s ‘Clueless Investigation’”
Politics USA: “House Republicans Trash James Comer And Call Him An Embarrassment And A Disaster”
Raw Story: “‘Parade Of Embarrassments’: James Comer Slammed By Fellow Republicans For Impeachment Dud”
Salon: “House Republicans Cry James Comer’s ‘Clueless Investigation’ Is A ‘Disaster’”
Raw Story: “‘Taste Of Own Medicine’: Analyst Says Republican’s Biden Probe Blowing Up In Their Faces”
The Messenger: “Senate Republicans Sour On Biden Impeachment: ‘They’ve Got Nothing’ (Exclusive)”
EVEN SENATE REPUBLICANS THINK JAMES COMER’S “INVESTIGATION” IS A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY
Senator Cynthia Lummis: “This Is A Cynical Thing To Say, But I Kind Of Hope That The Evidence Does Not Lead Them To A Place Where They Feel Like They Have To Go Through An Impeachment. So I’m Kind Of Crossing My Fingers That The Evidence Will Not Lead Them There.” “The ongoing effort to oust Biden and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas — neither are likely to be found guilty by two-thirds of a Democratic-led Senate — risks grinding an already slow-moving Senate to a halt. Senate Republicans are showing little appetite for serving as jurors in either scenario. ‘This is a cynical thing to say, but I kind of hope that the evidence does not lead them to a place where they feel like they have to go through an impeachment,’ Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., said of her colleagues in the lower chamber, speculating that most House Republicans would rather avoid voting to impeach Biden and Mayorkas. ‘So I’m kind of crossing my fingers that the evidence will not lead them there,’ she added.” [The Messenger, 1/23/24]
Senator Mitt Romney: “I Haven’t Heard Yet Any Evidence To Suggest That There’s Been A Constitutional Standard Met For Impeachment. The Inquiries Underway, We’ll See What They Come Up With, But So Far They’ve Got Nothing.” “‘I haven’t heard yet any evidence to suggest that there’s been a constitutional standard met for impeachment,’ Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah said. ‘The inquiries underway, we’ll see what they come up with, but so far they’ve got nothing.’ The Senate is required to take up any impeachment articles sent over from the House. According to a Congressional Research Service report, rules would require the Senate to convene at noon for trial six days a week, though the majority could change that schedule, and no legislative or executive business can occur while the chamber is ‘sitting as a Court of Impeachment.’” [The Messenger, 1/23/24]
Senator Roger Marshall On The House Impeachment Inquiries: “This Senate Over Here Can’t Even Process Our Appropriations Bills In A Timely Fashion. It Takes A Willing Party To Want To Get Some Of These Things Done.” “‘This Senate over here can’t even process our appropriations bills in a timely fashion,’ Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas added. ‘It takes a willing party to want to get some of these things done. One of my biggest frustrations coming from the private world here is an inability to walk and chew gum.’” [The Messenger, 1/23/24]
James Comer Cherry-Picks, Misrepresents, And Exaggerates Committee Testimony To Hide That His “Investigation” Is A Waste Of Time And Money
SURPRISE, SURPRISE! JAMES COMER CHERRY-PICKED AND MISREPRESENTED YET ANOTHER WITNESS TESTIMONY
Rolling Stone: “Hunter Biden Associate Says GOP Misrepresented His Closed-Door Testimony”
- Kevin Morris Attorney Alleged That James Comer “Issued A Press Statement With Cherry‐Picked, Out Of Context And Totally Misleading Descriptions Of What Mr. Morris Said” Two Hours After Morris Left The Interview. “Attorneys for Kevin Morris, an American businessman and close confidant of Hunter Biden, sent Comer a letter accusing him of misrepresenting Morris’ testimony. According to a copy of the letter obtained by Rolling Stone, attorney Bryan M. Sullivan had previously sought a commitment from Oversight Republicans that Morris would not be subjected to the ‘practice of Republicans in making partial leaks of witness’ statements rather than releasing the actual [deposition] transcript so the public would know the truth and not your often inaccurate spin and misstatements.’ Comer did not comply, according to Sullivan. ‘Not two hours after we left Mr. Morris’ transcribed interview, you issued a press statement with cherry‐picked, out of context and totally misleading descriptions of what Mr. Morris said,’ he added, demanding that Republicans release the full transcript of the testimony to correct the record.” [Rolling Stone, 1/19/24]
Politico: “Lawyer For Hunter Biden Confidant Accuses GOP Of Misrepresenting Testimony”
- Kevin Morris Attorney Demanded That James Comer Release The Full Transcript Of Morris’ Interview With The House Oversight Committee. “A lawyer for Kevin Morris is accusing House Republicans of misrepresenting the Hunter Biden confidant’s closed-door testimony this week. Morris’ lawyer, in a letter to Oversight Chair James Comer, accused the Kentucky Republican of including ‘cherry‐picked, out of context and totally misleading descriptions’ in his public readout of the private deposition. ‘You did not treat Mr. Morris fairly and engaged in your standard practice of partially and inaccurately leaking a witness’s statements. … I demand you now release the entire transcript of Mr. Morris’ interview,’ Bryan Sullivan, Morris’s attorney, wrote in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by POLITICO.” [Politico, 1/19/24]
ABC News: “Kevin Morris, Key Ally Of Hunter Biden, Accuses House GOP Of Warping His Testimony”
NBC News: “Hunter Biden Benefactor Alleges Rep. James Comer Mischaracterized His Testimony”
New Republic: “Key Hunter Biden Witness Says James Comer Is Lying About His Testimony”
Washington Post (Column): “Comer’s Habit Of Cherry-Picking Depositions Comes Back To Haunt Him”
Washington Post (Column): “Deposition Transcript Lays Bare The GOP Impeachment Spin Effort”
PoliticsUSA: “Bombshell Witness Transcript Obliterates James Comer’s Biden Impeachment Case”
YET ANOTHER WITNESS TOLD HOUSE REPUBLICANS THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN WAS NOT INVOLVED IN HIS SON’S BUSINESS PURSUITS
The Messenger: “Hunter Biden Associate Has ‘No Information’ On Wrongdoing By The President”
- Lawyers For Mervyn Yan Told The House Oversight Committee That Yan “Has Had No Professional Contact Or Communication With President Biden At Any Time” And “No Information About Any Alleged Connection Between President Biden And Hunter And Jim Biden’s Business Endeavors.” “The House Oversight Committee issued a subpoena for [Mervyn] Yan’s testimony last year, claiming that Yan ‘may also know whether and how President Biden has been involved in his family’s business dealings,’ according to a letter from the committee in November. The scrutiny of Yan is part of the GOP’s questioning of a potential influence peddling scheme by the Biden family. But lawyers for Yan disputed the GOP’s line of inquiry in May, according to a letter obtained by The Messenger. ‘He has had no professional contact or communication with President Biden at any time,’ two lawyers for Yan from the firm Wilkie Farr & Gallagher told the committee. ‘Mr. Yan has no information about any alleged connection between President Biden and Hunter and Jim Biden’s business endeavors.’” [The Messenger, 1/25/24]
- Lawyer For Mervyn Yan Told The House Oversight Committee That He Has “No Documents In His Possession Or Information Which Demonstrate Misconduct By President Biden.” “[Mervyn] Yan’s attorneys also told the committee that he has ‘no documents in his possession or information which demonstrate misconduct by President Biden.’” [The Messenger, 1/25/24]