For months, House Republicans have been referencing an unverified tip on an FBI form, alleging that when Joe Biden was vice president, he was involved in a bribery scheme benefiting Burisma, the Ukrainian energy company his son Hunter Biden was associated with. The White House has denied any wrongdoing, and the Republicans have not been able to substantiate these claims.
However, when asked by Fox News’s Sean Hannity whether these allegations could be considered a bribery scheme, Speaker Kevin McCarthy avoided a direct response. Instead, he went into a lengthy diatribe saying that the bribery statute doesn’t require personal financial benefit, citing the specific actions taken by the vice president as described in the FD-1023 form and their potential connection to family enrichment.
McCarthy elaborated on various allegations raised by Republicans during their investigations without accusing the President of any crime. Despite repeated questioning by Hannity about whether the claims amount to a bribery scandal, McCarthy evaded a direct answer.
Hannity pressed further, asking if Joe Biden’s actions as vice president were potentially a bribery scandal involving family enrichment. Again, McCarthy responded by rehashing other talking points brought up by Republicans in their investigations, including testimony from Devon Archer, a former business associate of Hunter Biden.
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McCarthy then suggested that Republicans don’t need to prove that Biden did anything wrong, but it’s up to Biden to show that he didn’t.
“I think there’s enough proof out there that this Biden family needs to come forward and show there wasn’t a pay-to-play,” McCarthy told Hannity. “America deserves more and Americans want to know. And the one thing I will tell you is, as this Congress, the People’s Congress, we will follow the facts and provide it to the American public, just like the Constitution tells us to do.”
During his testimony. Archer acknowledged that Hunter Biden had involved his father in certain meetings However, he testified that he wasn’t aware of any wrongdoing by then-Vice President Biden.
Regarding the alleged bribe payments detailed in the FD-1023 form, Archer stated he had no knowledge of such payments being made to the Bidens.
The interview came as McCarthy contemplates an impeachment inquiry based on the Biden administration’s “certain” actions and their potential implications.
Sean Hannity asks Kevin McCarthy directly if Joe Biden took bribes, McCarthy doesn’t answer the question. (Video: Fox News) pic.twitter.com/zPNjQuO5XV
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) August 8, 2023
