James Biden, brother of U.S. President Joe Biden, vigorously defended himself against allegations of impropriety during a closed-door testimony Wednesday, asserting that his business career is entirely distinct from his familial connections.
The ongoing impeachment inquiry, spearheaded by Republicans probing potential benefits from foreign business ventures involving the Biden family, has yet to produce any evidence of wrongdoing.
In the private session with House of Representatives investigators, the 74-year-old stressed that he never sought preferential treatment from the president or exploited their relationship for personal gain, CNN reported. He went on to highlight that President Biden has had no involvement or financial stake in any of his business endeavors spanning the past five decades.
However, the impeachment inquiry took an unexpected turn with prosecutors charging a former FBI informant with making false statements about the alleged business dealings of the Bidens in Ukraine—an area central to the investigation. In a court filing Tuesday, prosecutors revealed that the informant had acknowledged contacts with "officials associated with Russian intelligence."
Reacting to this development, U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, dismissed the entire probe as a "wild goose chase" built on "Russian disinformation and propaganda." Raskin called for an end to the investigation, stating, "I don't really know why we need to continue this charade any longer,'' Reuters reported.
Republicans, on the other hand, downplayed the informant's significance and reiterated their commitment to pressing forward with the inquiry. Representative William Timmons, a key figure in the investigation, questioned the timing of the charges against the informant, expressing skepticism, saying, "It's just really convenient."
