A House Republican said on Sunday that committee lawyers do not believe the corruption-focused impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden has produced sufficient evidence to show a “specific” crime.
Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) spoke about the status of the inquiry during an interview on NBC News after Biden was formally invited to testify before the House Oversight Committee, signaling that the probe is reaching a crescendo.
The House is narrowly controlled by Republicans, and leadership can only afford to lose one or two votes if all Democrats oppose any articles of impeachment that may be introduced in the weeks and months to come.
WATCH: While he defends the House investigation into Pres. Biden, Rep. @DonJBacon (R-Neb.) says the bar for impeachment has not yet been reached.
"The lawyers in the committee I've talked to say there's not a specific crime. And you need that for high crime or misdemeanor." pic.twitter.com/eyoPHMnCXK
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) March 31, 2024
“You said, back in December, quote, ‘Once we realize there is not a high crime or misdemeanor, we should move on.’ Has that moment come, in your view?” asked “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker.
“Well, right now, the lawyers in the committee that I talked to say there’s not a specific crime. And he’d need that for high crime or misdemeanor. Now, I think the investigation — it merited an investigation to put the facts out, let the public look at it, make a determination,” Bacon said.
“And I think it’s good to be transparent, especially — we’re in an election year, so let’s put the facts on the table,” he added. “But when I talked to the lawyers on the committee staff, they say, at this point, there is not a specific crime that’s been committed. And I think that’s important.”
Welker pressed the congressman again.
“Based on what you’re saying, is it time to drop it?” she asked.
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“I don’t know if it’s time, right now. But I do think we’re probably nearing the conclusion of this investigation,” Bacon said.
“And I think it was important for the American people to see that, yes, there’s $24 million in foreign money that the family raised and all the hidden LLCs that the money was moved around in. But that is, in itself, not a high crime or misdemeanor,” he added.
It remains unclear whether the House Republicans will ultimately introduce articles of impeachment against Biden, let alone have enough votes to pass them, but that may not be the end of the story.
House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) recently suggested that criminal referrals would come out of the inquiry.