Despite 'compelling case' — 'it’s hard to imagine any scenario where impeachment works': ex-GOP rep
Despite their many attempts, so far, the House GOP has "failed to prove its case" in their efforts to impeach President Joe Biden over the "mistakes" of his son, Hunter Biden, former U.S. Representative Charlie Dent (R-PA) writes in Sunday, December 17 MSNBC op-ed.
Dent argues that despite the "highly questionable business activities" currently imperiling Hunter Biden, "it’s hard to imagine any scenario where impeachment works" to House Republicans' benefit, as "ultimately, GOP members representing Biden-won districts are most likely to determine the final outcome of impeachment."
Dent writes:
House Republicans have made a compelling case to impeach Hunter Biden. He is currently facing federal charges on tax and firearms-related matters, and his business dealings never passed the smell test. His service on Ukrainian energy company Burisma’s board of directors and partnership with a Chinese businessman are malodorous and smack of influence peddling. How does a man admittedly addicted to drugs and with no particular background or expertise in the energy sector land a lucrative position on a Ukrainian gas company board? It certainly seems like Hunter Biden monetized his family name and has caused personal and political pain for his father.
But the president’s troubled son is not, and has never been, a federal official. He cannot be impeached.
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Furthermore, he writes, "Solid evidence or not, the most important question now is whether every single House Republican will see this project through."
Dent notes, "In retrospect, Joe Biden failed to exercise real control over his son's highly questionable business activities and should have demanded, at the very least, his son remove himself from business opportunities that create appearances of impropriety, embarrassment or worse."
However, he continues, "Failing to exercise proper oversight of an adult child's business activities might represent negligence or bad judgment. It is not, however, a crime, high crime or misdemeanor."
The issue now, Dent declares, is "Now the GOP has launched its rocket, and there will be no recalling it. House Republicans will at least have to attempt to impeach. And that attempt will likely drag this whole process out into the primary — and Trump trial season — further muddying the political waters."
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Dent's full op-ed is here.
