This week, Rep. James Comer released a new memo on the Biden family’s business dealings featuring bank records that he claims show nefarious dealings by the Biden family. As expected, the records do not show a single shred of evidence tying President Biden to any wrongdoing whatsoever and re-hashes claims that have already been made public and debunked. This stunt is just more of the same desperation from Comer to distract from Donald Trump’s alleged crimes. James Comer thought he delivered the goods, but in reality, he struck out at the plate.
Washington Post: So where’s the bribe, James Comer? “But the lack of payments made to the president is even more problematic for the Comer-Grassley claim about bribes. After three months, a period that clearly included more assessments of income received by Hunter Biden (though a lot of the $20 million was already reported), there’s not a whiff of the alleged $5 million paid to Joe Biden by Zlochevsky. It’s less than a phantom.” [Washington Post, 8/9/23]
USA Today: House Republicans issue new report on Joe Biden corruption… that again offers no evidence. “The committee, led by Chairman James Comer, said in the report that it plans to continue to investigate Biden to find evidence of corruption, even as it acknowledged that it had no evidence that he financially benefited from the myriad foreign business dealings of his son Hunter.” [USA Today, 8/9/23]
POLITICO: “But the memo, the third Comer has released so far this year, also doesn’t show a direct payment to Joe Biden…” “But the memo, the third Comer has released so far this year, also doesn’t show a direct payment to Joe Biden… Comer added that ‘it appears no real services were provided other than access to the Biden network, including Joe Biden himself,’ referring to Hunter Biden’s work related to foreign business.” [POLITICO, 8/9/23]
CNN: “But, so far, it appears the committee has not found any direct evidence that President Biden personally benefited from any of his son’s business dealings. Republicans are now insisting they don’t have to.” “The memo follows the increasing drumbeat from many House Republicans – and certainly the GOP presidential frontrunner Donald Trump – to pursue impeachment of the sitting president even without a clear establishment of facts. But, so far, it appears the committee has not found any direct evidence that President Biden personally benefited from any of his son’s business dealings. Republicans are now insisting they don’t have to.” [CNN, 8/9/23]
Punchbowl News: “Republicans haven’t tied any official actions by Biden as vice president to the money received by Hunter Biden, other family members or their business associates.” “Up to this point, Republicans haven’t tied any official actions by Biden as vice president to the money received by Hunter Biden, other family members or their business associates. The Republicans’ basic thrust is that there has to be corruption or something illegal going on because it all seems so sordid.” [Punchbowl News, 8/10/23]
Washington Examiner: Democrats claim Hunter Biden bank memo an ’embarrassing attempt’ to distract from Trump. “House Oversight and Accountability Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-MD) said the newly released bank memo further proves committee Republicans have nothing on President Joe Biden and are using this investigation to distract from former President Donald Trump’s legal troubles… This message was also echoed by the Democrat-aligned Congressional Integrity Project, which was created in November 2022 as a rapid response war room to combat GOP investigations into Joe Biden. ‘This stunt from Comer is just more of the same — no evidence of wrongdoing by President Biden, no new information to tie him to Hunter Biden’s business, and another desperate attempt to keep this bogus investigation alive,’ Kyle Herrig, the groups executive director, said in a statement. ‘Comer’s fishing expedition continues to reel in nothing in a desperate attempt to distract from Trump.’” [Washington Examiner, 8/9/23]
Raw Story: ‘Where’s the bribe?’ Comer slammed after months of unproven attacks on Biden. “House Republican Oversight Chairman Jim Comer is increasingly coming under fire after months of his committee’s investigations, including public and private hearings, have unearthed no reported factual substantiation of his allegations and attacks against President Joe Biden… Little has changed, except charges from Democrats and even some Republicans that Chairman Comer’s claims about President Biden have never been proven.” [Raw Story, 8/9/23]
MSNBC (Opinion): James Comer isn’t doing GOP any favors with latest anti-Biden dud. “The Oversight Committee chairman released a new memo yesterday, and as Politico reported, it included as much evidence against the president as all of his earlier memos — which is to say, none.” [MSNBC, 8/10/23]