Congressional Republicans say they plan to launch an inquiry of President Joe Biden’s family, including his son Hunter, during the upcoming session, despite cautions from some members of their own party to not pursue “hyper-partisan” oversight investigations.
Reps. Jim Jordan of OH and James Comer of KY, two top-ranking members expected to head powerful committees once Republicans take control of the House in January, highlighted their plans at a news conference on Thursday, vowing to “keep pursuing all avenues” of wrongdoing and making investigations into the president’s family a “highest priority.”
Aside from Hunter Biden’s overseas business ventures, which are now the subject of a Justice Department probe, senators said their greatest concern is determining if his father, President Biden, was much more involved in those activities than originally known.
“We’re not attempting to prove that Hunter Biden is a horrible actor. He is,” Comer stated. “We’re looking at Joe Biden.”
However, several members of their own party have expressed reservations about targeting the president’s family, calling it a distraction from the issues people care about and a political mistake that might compound rising tensions within the party following a poor midterm showing. Republicans had anticipated easily retaking control of the House, but instead, appear prepared to do so by a razor-thin margin.
A former Republican congresswoman from Virginia Barbara Comstock said chasing Hunter Biden and others is a losing approach that would indicate to people that the party has been unable to learn its lessons.
“When voters offer such a strong rebuke, and predictions of a red wave’ fail to materialize, it’s time for humility and introspection,” said ABC News contributor Comstock. “And intense scrutiny of Hunter Biden is not the lesson Republicans should take away from the midterm elections.”
That sentiment was shared by some newcomers to Washington.
“If parts of our party want to dive into these investigations, that’s their choice,” Rep.-elect George Santos, R-N.Y., said this week in an interview with Fox News. “I do not wish to squander my time in Washington on partisanship; I want to bring results.”
