A Comparison of Impeachment Investigations into the Past and Future of the Presidents Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, and Hunter Biden
The current inquiry into Biden is different from previous probes in that the allegations are not tied to a specific day or action and the claims date back to Biden’s time as vice president. Impeachment probes into former Presidents Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton and Donald Trump related to allegations that took place while they were in office. Here is a comparison of how those impeachment efforts compare.
The first hearing in the inquiry is scheduled for Thursday, held by the House Oversight Committee. The basis for an impeachment inquiry into the president is explained in the hearing.
According to the Constitution, impeachment is a way for Congress to remove a president from office if they have committed treason, bribe or other high crimes. It is not a legal trial, though the evidence gathered could inform a separate judicial process.
But former federal prosecutor and legal commentator Renato Mariotti told NPR that the allegations lack details that specifically demonstrate corruption on Biden’s part.
“Generally speaking, when we’re talking about corruption, you’re talking about the use of trading an official act for something … of value — so for example, you know, using his office to try to obtain money or property for himself or his son,” Mariotti said. I think there are no details about how that’s been done, one way or the other.
For example, Devon Archer, a business associate of Hunter Biden, has claimed that then-Vice President Biden sent greetings when Hunter hosted conference calls with clients and stopped by briefly at business dinners. In testimony, he conceded that he didn’t have evidence that President Biden received any direct financial benefit from the interactions.
Republicans have also made broad allegations about Hunter Biden receiving preferential treatment from the IRS and the Justice Department. The IRS employees testified that there was an effort to weaken the tax investigation. Other witnesses have disputed their version of events.
Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanor charges related to his taxes in July, after a deal with federal prosecutors that would have avoided a trial fell through. He has claimed that the IRS failed to protect his personal information in connection with the IRS agents whom he has accused of leaking confidential information.
The Biden Fishing Expedition: No Evidence for a Criminal Offence in the U.S. Attorney Generals Office of Attorney General Garland
Attorney General Garland insists that the investigation is not being influenced by outsiders, and the special counsel acts as his own.
It will involve testimony from four witnesses, three of whom picked by Republicans will weigh in on “crimes the Bidens may have committed,” Rep. Comer of Kentucky said in a statement announcing the hearing.
Comer said that the House Oversight, Judiciary and Ways and Means committees “uncovered an overwhelming amount of evidence showing President Joe Biden abused his public office for his family’s financial gain.”
Among that evidence includes thousands of pages of financial records and other information. But little has been publicly presented in the way of concrete evidence for an impeachable offense by Biden.
Michael Gerhardt, a professor of constitutional law at the University of North Carolina School of Law in Chapel Hill, previously told NPR: “This current attempt to conduct an impeachment inquiry is unlike any others I think we’ve had in American history, because in the past there’s always been some credible evidence of wrongdoing by the president that is part of the complaint against the president. But in this situation, we don’t have any credible evidence. This process seems to be called a fishing expedition.
Republicans will often mention that he is being investigated for a crime, and the testimony of two IRS whistle blowers, Gary and Joseph.
The two came forward and said the Justice Department mishandled the investigation of the president’s son. They brought their complaints to the House Oversight Committee. Republicans have seized on this and claimed that these two agents show that pressure was placed on the DOJ to delay the investigation.
The House Ways and Means Committee voted in a closed-door session to release more than 700 pages of information which the committee Republicans claim raises questions about the Bidens.
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith of Missouri said this information “makes clear Hunter Biden’s business was selling the Biden ‘brand’ and that access to the White House was his family’s most valuable asset – despite official claims otherwise.”
The ranking member of the Oversight Committee said his colleagues will focus on “facts and evidence.”
It has been seven months since we started work on this and there are no facts or evidence that will lead to criminal guilt for Joe Biden. We’ll see if they have any new evidence that implicates President Biden.
He said that Hunter Biden’s problems shouldn’t be compared to the behavior of Joe Biden, who has been in public life for five years.
He also indicated he will likely emphasize at the hearing that Republicans are focusing on the Biden family rather than prioritizing from keeping the government from shutting down.