Biden impeachment hearing: Top 5 chaotic moments from probe into first family's 'influence peddling'

By Kunal Dey
Published on : 03:32 PST, Mar 21, 2024

Tony Bobulinski and Lev Parnas took the stand during Wednesday's proceedings in the inquiry against Joe and Hunter Biden (Getty Images)

Chaos reigns in Joe Biden impeachment hearing as House Oversight delves into allegations of first family's 'influence peddling'

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 20: Tony Bobulinski, former business partner of Hunter Biden, arrives at a hearing before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee at Rayburn House Office Building on March 20, 2024 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The committee held a hearing on “Influence Peddling: Examining Joe Biden’s Abuse of Public Office.” (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) — Tony Bobulinski, former business partner of Hunter Biden, arrives at a hearing before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee at Rayburn House Office Building on March 20, 2024, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC: During a charged session on Capitol Hill Wednesday, March 20, former business associates of Hunter Biden took the stand, adding fuel to the Republican-led impeachment inquiry against President Biden. Tony Bobulinski, a former Navy veteran and one-time business partner of Hunter Biden, made a striking appearance before the House Oversight Committee. Meanwhile, Jason Galanis, currently serving a 14-year prison sentence, testified remotely from Federal Prison Camp in Alabama. On the other hand, Democrats summoned Lev Parnas, who earned a 20-month sentence for campaign finance violations, wire fraud, and false statements, to shed light on his collaboration with Rudy Giuliani. Here are the top five moments that emerged from the House Oversight hearing:

1. Hunter Biden accused of lying under oath

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 18: Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, attends the Easter Egg Rol — Hunter Biden, son of US President Joe Biden, attends the Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House on April 18, 2022, in Washington, DC (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

During Wednesday's proceedings, Bobulinski dropped a bombshell accusation, alleging that Hunter Biden had perjured himself during earlier testimony regarding his father's role in his business ventures. Representative Jason Smith of Missouri grilled Bobulinski, citing Hunter Biden's sworn statement that his father had no involvement whatsoever in his business affairs. Smith highlighted a WhatsApp message, disclosed by the Ways and Means Committee via IRS whistleblowers, wherein Hunter referenced his father's presence and influence in a business matter, which read, "I'm sitting here with my father, and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled. I'm sitting here waiting for the call with my father." Smith asked, "Mr Bobulinski, was Hunter Biden telling the truth when he testified under oath that his father was never involved in any of his business dealings?" Bobulinski responded, "No, he was not. Those are all blatant lies."

2. Accusations of perjury

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 20: Tony Bobulinski (L), former business partner of Hunter Biden, and Lev Parnas (R), former associate of Rudy Giuliani, are sworn in during a hearing before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee at Rayburn House Office Building on March 20, 2024 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The committee held a hearing on “Influence Peddling: Examining Joe Biden’s Abuse of Public Office.” (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) — Tony Bobulinski (L), former business partner of Hunter Biden, and Lev Parnas (R), a former associate of Rudy Giuliani, are sworn in during a hearing before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee at Rayburn House Office Building on March 20, 2024, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

During the hearing, Bobulinski leveled accusations of perjury against Hunter Biden and Jim Biden, President Biden's brother. Bobulinski, asserting that Hunter Biden "lied throughout his testimony" during a transcribed interview with the House Oversight Committee in February, cited what he believed to be a glaring instance of Hunter Biden's "perjury." According to Bobulinski, Hunter Biden misled the committee regarding significant details concerning his financial demands and the threats he made to CEFC in text messages dated July 30 and July 31, 2017. "He leveraged his father’s presence next to him in that infamous text to strong-arm CEFC to pay Hunter immediately," Bobulinski said. Moreover, he alleged that James Biden, the president's brother, "also lied extensively throughout his transcribed interview on Feb 21 and perjured himself." He highlighted an exchange from James Biden's transcript, where James denied recollecting a meeting with Hunter Biden, Tony Bobulinski, and Joe Biden. Bobulinski also claimed that during a meeting in 2017, James Biden confessed to him that the Bidens could conduct their business despite the future president's high profile due to "plausible deniability."

3. Credibility debate between Democrats and Republicans

During Wednesday's hearing, tensions flared as Democratic and Republican members clashed over the credibility of their respective witnesses. Representing Washington, DC, Democrat Eleanor Holmes Norton highlighted Galanis' history of financial crimes, pointing out his current stint in federal prison. Following her, ranking member Jamie Raskin, D-Md, echoed concerns about Galanis' convictions but also directed criticism at Bobulinski for offering "a lot of rhetoric and a lot of hot air but absolutely no facts" to support impeaching Biden. "Nobody on their side can even tell us what is the impeachable high crime and misdemeanor, which suggests that they are moving in the direction of criminal referrals, and they should start by looking at their own witnesses," Raskin said. Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky, intervened, reminding Norton and Raskin of Galanis' connection to Hunter Biden, emphasizing his relevance to the proceedings. "That's why he's here. We have their partners. You could have invited partners, but you invited this guy," Comer said, gesturing towards Parnas, a former aide to Giuliani. As members talked over each other, Comer redirected attention to Rep Glenn Grothman, R-Wis, who initiated his line of questioning by bringing up Parnas' own criminal convictions and federal prison sentence.

4. Bobulinski says he 'begged' Rep Ro Khanna to review phone evidence

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 08: Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) speaks during a House Committee on Oversight and Ref — Rep Ro Khanna (D-CA) speaks during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on gun violence on Capitol Hill on June 8, 2022, in Washington, DC (Andrew Harnik-Pool/Getty Images)

Bobulinski voiced his frustration after Rep Ro Khanna refused to engage with him regarding text message evidence implicating alleged Biden family misdeeds. "If you noticed, Congressman Khanna scurried out of here very quickly, and I'm actually disgusted as I sit here that he didn't address me based on the fact that I'm sitting here in front of the world trying to testify to the truth," Bobulinski said moments after Khanna's time expired. "I have messages I'm willing to produce to both the Democrats and the Republicans that Ro Khanna sent to me saying, 'You have always demonstrated to me that you're nothing but honest with the highest integrity individual,'" Bobulinski said. "I was begging for him to go to CNN and tell the world in October 2020." He added, "I have extensive emails with Congressman Ro Khanna in 2021 and 2022, where I begged him and his staff to sit down with me and look at my BlackBerry phones that the Democrats are so focused on, to hire forensics experts and go through all of the factual information I had. So, the fact that he did not even address me and then scurried out of here is disgusting to me." In response, Khanna affirmed his commitment to reviewing evidence through committee procedures. "I have reviewed extensive information presented to the committee on this matter. I have always respected Tony's past service to our nation as I value anyone who wears the uniform, and I will continue to take my duty seriously on the committee and review all the evidence," he said in a statement to Fox News.

5. Taunting for impeachment vote

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 19: Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) listens during a hearing with the House Foreign Affairs Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on March 19, 2024 in Washington, DC. The committee held the hearing to question retired U.S. Generals on the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) — Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) listens during a hearing with the House Foreign Affairs Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on March 19, 2024, in Washington, DC (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

During the hearing, Rep Jared Moskowitz challenged Comer and Jim Jordan to vote on impeaching Biden if they believed they had enough evidence. This came after Bobulinski asserted, "I believe with all the evidence he's gathered, yes, he's proven that Joe Biden has committed high crimes and misdemeanors." Moskowitz sarcastically suggested an immediate vote for impeachment, questioning the need for further costly investigations. "My point is that the chairman has not yet moved for that. And, so, look, chairman, we got, like, 3½ minutes here. I mean, let's just do the impeachment," Moskowitz said. "I mean, why continue to waste millions of dollars of taxpayers' money if we're going to impeach because you believe you've shown he's committed a high crime and misdemeanor?" When Moskowitz motioned for a vote, neither Jordan nor Comer seconded it. Jordan shot back by insisting that the GOP does not do "snap impeachments," referencing Democrats' rapid proceedings against Trump in 2019.

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