This week House Republicans did what they do best: absolutely nothing. Just ask Rep. Chip Roy. Instead of finding solutions to the important issues facing Americans they chose to run from the truth and slipped on Rudy Giuliani’s leftover cranberry sauce on the way out. First, to the confusion of even some other conservatives, House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer turned and bolted the other way when Hunter Biden offered to testify publicly to the committee. Comer insisted on closed-door testimony even though he had previously said those who he called to testify could choose between a public hearing or private interview. Then, House Republicans had another big press conference about their impeachment inquiry where the only thing they revealed were old debunked “bombshells” and a website that links to other websites. During the press conference they reverted to their comfort zone: reheating Rudy Giuliani’s debunked Ukraine conspiracy theories. Finally, when confronted with actual wrongdoing, Speaker Mike Johnson demurred. Johnson admitted he has “real reservations” about expelling Rep. George Santos, even though the House Ethics Committee found that Santos “sought to fraudulently exploit every aspect of his house candidacy for his own personal financial profit.” When confronted with the facts Comer, Jordan, and Speaker Johnson do what they always have: run to Fox News to spread more conspiracy theories.
James Comer Flees When Confronted With Another Public Hearing
Associated Press: “Hunter Biden Tells Congress He’d Testify Publicly, But Republicans Demand Closed-Door Session”
- After Hunter Biden Offered To Testify In A Public Hearing To The House Oversight Committee, Chair James Comer Insisted That Hunter Testify In A Closed-Door Hearing. “Hunter Biden responded Tuesday to a House subpoena for testimony about his overseas business deals, offering to testify at an open hearing rather than a closed-door deposition, which his lawyer said would prevent a ‘cloaked, one-sided process.’ But Rep. James Comer, chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, said he would be expected to testify confidentially at first, as requested. Comer subpoenaed the president’s son on Nov. 8 for testimony about deals in Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine during a period when his father served as vice president. But Biden’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, has accused the three House Republican chairmen investigating Hunter Biden – Comer of Kentucky, Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio and Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith of Missouri – of repeating ‘worn-out, false, baseless or debunked claims.’” [USA Today, 11/28/23]
Washington Post: “Hunter Biden Offers To Testify Publicly Before House Panel”
Rolling Stone: “Hunter Biden Offers To Testify Publicly. House Republicans … Aren’t Interested”
The Hill: “Hunter Biden’s Public Hearing Request Creates GOP Divisions”
Washington Examiner: “Hunter Biden Willing To Testify Before Oversight Committee In Public Hearing”
Raw Story: “‘Open The Doors’: Josh Hawley Slams James Comer Over Closed Hunter Biden Hearing”
Salon: “‘Epic Humiliation’: GOP Mocked For Rejecting Hunter Biden Offer To Testify Publicly”
Raw Story: “Hunter Biden Calls GOP Investigators’ Bluff And Agrees To Sit For A Public Hearing”
USA Today (Column): “Republicans Don’t Want Hunter Biden To Testify Publicly Because Truth Is Scary”
MSNBC: “Why James Comer’s Many False Claims Should Make The GOP Nervous”
Newsweek: “Jim Jordan’s Attack On Hunter Biden Backfires”
Daily Beast: “James Comer Seemingly Forgets His Own Behavior After Calling Out Dems”
JAMES COMER PREVIOUSLY SAID THE PEOPLE HE CALLED TO TESTIFY COULD CHOOSE BETWEEN A PUBLIC OR CLOSED-DOOR HEARING
Daily Beast: “James Comer Seems To Forget He Said Hunter Biden Could ‘Choose’ Public Hearing”
James Comer: “We Can Bring These People In For Depositions Or Committee Hearings, Whichever They Choose.” JAMES COMER: “We’re in the downhill phase of this investigation now because we have so many documents. And we can bring these people in for depositions or committee hearings, whichever they choose. And we can ask these questions with evidence.” [Benny Johnson Show, 10/31/23] (video)
HOUSE REPUBLICAN ADMITTED THEY HAVE NO EVIDENCE TO JUSTIFY THEIR “INVESTIGATION” INTO PRESIDENT BIDEN AND HIS FAMILY
- Lisa McClain Admitted House Republicans Have No Evidence That President Biden Changed U.S. Policy As A Result Of His Son’s Business Dealings. “Viewers of Mornings With Maria watched Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo receive discouraging political news in real time Tuesday morning when Republican Congresswoman Lisa McClain admitted that there is no evidence of President Joe Biden changing any policies as a ‘result of getting money from China.’ […] ‘Have you been able to identify any actual policy changes that Joe Biden made as a result of getting money from China?’ Bartiromo asked, to which McClain closed her eyes and admitted, ‘The short answer is no. That’s what we’re trying to get to right now.’” [Mediaite, 11/28/23]
House GOP Slips On Rudy Giuliani’s Leftover Cranberry Sauce While Announcing Another Update On Their “Investigation”
Washington Post (Column): “The Misleading Ukraine Claim At The Heart Of The GOP’s Impeachment Push”
- Washington Post’s Philip Bump: “The Investigation [Comer’s] Been Leading Since Republicans Regained Control Of The House In January Has Been Spread Thin Over A Broad Area Without Unearthing Anything Implicating Biden In A Significant Way.” “You would be forgiven for thinking that Comer is feeling a bit defensive. But he should be. Rather than digging deep into core claims of wrongdoing, the investigation he’s been leading since Republicans regained control of the House in January has been spread thin over a broad area without unearthing anything implicating Biden in a significant way.” [Washington Post, Philip Bump, 11/29/23]
Washington Post (Column): “James Comer’s Most Dishonest Biden Attack Yet”
The Hill: “Mike Huckabee Says Impeachment Vote On Biden Would Be ‘Political Disaster’”
Speaker Mike Johnson Goes Soft When Confronted With Actual Wrongdoing
ABC News: “Speaker Johnson Has ‘Real Reservations’ As House Mulls George Santos Expulsion”
- House Speaker Mike Johnson Expressed “Real Reservations” About Expelling Rep. George Santos Even Though The House Ethics Committee Found Santos “Sought To Fraudulently Exploit Every Aspect Of His House Candidacy For His Own Personal Financial Profit.” “Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday expressed ‘real reservations’ about expelling Rep. George Santos from the House since the New York Republican has yet to be convicted of a crime — even as GOP support grows to make him just the sixth member of the chamber ever to be formally ousted from his seat in the face of damning allegations about his conduct. Santos has survived previous attempts to remove him from the House, but momentum is building for the latest effort after the release of a scathing report from the House Ethics Committee earlier this month, which concluded that he ‘sought to fraudulently exploit every aspect of his House candidacy for his own personal financial profit.’” [CNN, 11/29/23]
Associated Press: “Lawmakers Can ‘Vote Their Conscience’ On Expelling Santos, House Speaker Says, But He Has Concerns”
Washington Post: “Speaker Johnson Expresses ‘Real Reservations’ About Motion To Expel Santos”