House Speaker Kevin McCarthy spent several minutes lecturing a congressional reporter Thursday after the reporter falsely claimed he had no evidence to justify launching an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.
Associated Press congressional reporter Farnoush Amiri falsely claimed in an article posted Wednesday that McCarthy announced the inquiry “without evidence.” McCarthy’s inquiry aims to investigate whether Biden engaged in an influence-peddling scheme related to his son Hunter’s overseas business dealings.
“Since gaining the House majority in January, House Republicans have aggressively investigated Biden and his son, claiming without evidence that they engaged in an influence-peddling scheme. The allegations echo those that former President Donald Trump has made for years against Biden and his family,” Amiri wrote.
McCarthy confronted her during a press conference Thursday.
“What impeachment inquiry is [designed] to do is to get answers to questions. Are you concerned about all the stuff that was just recently learned? Do you have any concern? Have you asked the White House any questions?” McCarthy asked.
“Yes,” Amiri responded.
“Do you believe the president lied to the American public when he said he never talked to his son about his business dealings? Yes or no?” McCarthy asked. (RELATED: ‘Political Stunt’: KJP Calls Impeachment Inquiry Into Biden ‘Baseless’)
“I can’t answer that,” she responded.
“You can’t answer that? Do you believe when they said the president went on conference calls? Do you believe that happened?” McCarthy pressed.
“That’s what the testimony says, yes,” Amiri said.
The testimony in question came from former Hunter Biden business associate Devon Archer, who claimed that Joe Biden spoke to Hunter on speakerphone while his son was surrounded by his foreign business associates on over twenty occasions. It is unknown what the two discussed during the phone calls.
The House Speaker also pointed to multiple other claims Archer made about connections between Joe Biden and his son’s business associates, each of which Amiri acknowledged was part of his testimony. The House Oversight Committee has identified over $20 million paid to the Biden family and their associates from foreign business partners.
“Okay, then I go back. Do you think the president lied that he—” McCarthy began.
“But is that an impeachable — is lying an impeachable offense?” Amiri asked.
“I’m not saying impeachment. All I’m saying is I would like to know answers to these questions. The American public would like to know,” the speaker said.
Biden has repeatedly denied ever talking to his son about his business dealings and claimed that Hunter had never made any money from China. The White House and much of the media have claimed there is no evidence of Biden engaging in any wrongdoing and that the inquiry is “baseless.”