A leading House Republican says the congressional investigation into Hunter Biden is essential to creating a “legislative fix” to prevent unsavory financial entanglements involving the president of the United States.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) repeatedly stressed a need for legislation during an interview Sunday, days after Biden’s attorney denied the oversight panel’s request for information, claiming it had “no legislative purpose.”
“We need to know what is allowable and what isn’t allowable,” Comer told ABC News’s “This Week” host George Stephanopoulos. “We need to have strict ethics laws and we need to significantly increase the disclosure laws in America. I think this investigation is going to be very important to fix a problem before it gets out of hand.”
Republicans in Congress are investigating whether President Joe Biden has any involvement in shady financial schemes worth millions of dollars related to his son Hunter in countries such as China, Russia, and Ukraine. During the campaign, the elder Biden said he never talked to Hunter Biden about his foreign business ventures, but Comer said congressional investigators “have evidence that would suggest otherwise.”
Joe Biden's family made millions from adversaries like China. This jeopardizes national security.
We need stronger ethics & financial disclosure laws to prevent family members of those in power from selling access.
@GOPOversight will ensure accountability.
@ThisWeekABC pic.twitter.com/4hZhca9Anl— Rep. James Comer (@RepJamesComer) February 12, 2023
Last week, Comer sent requests for documents and other information to Hunter Biden and others. Hunter Biden’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, shot back with a response that said the oversight panel “lacks a legitimate legislative purpose and oversight basis for requesting such records from Mr. Biden, who is a private citizen.”
Lowell also offered to meet with Comer’s committee “to see whether Mr. Biden has information that may inform some legitimate legislative purpose and be helpful to the Committee.”
It remains to be seen whether Comer will take up Lowell on this offer. His Republican-led panel has subpoena power and could escalate the standoff in the coming days. Federal prosecutors are also investigating Hunter Biden for possible tax crimes and more. The First Son has said he is certain he will be cleared of wrongdoing.
On Sunday, Comer said any legislation Congress comes up with can be bipartisan, acknowledging how Democrats have raised concerns about the foreign business dealings of former President Donald Trump’s family. In particular, Stephanopoulos mentioned Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and his ties to the Saudis.
Comer said Kusher differentiated himself from the Bidens because he has sat down for an interview with investigators. In contrast, Comer said, the Bidens are “doing everything they can to block our investigation.”
Lawmakers cannot get to a “bipartisan legislative solution” until “we know the extent of what the Biden family influence peddling involved, especially with respect to Communist China,” Comer said.