Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, has urged House Republicans to halt the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden following the indictment of an FBI informant.
What Happened: Raskin’s call for the end of the impeachment inquiry came after the Department of Justice (DOJ) charged Alexander Smirnov, 43, with making false claims about Biden. The DOJ’s charges are based on allegations that Smirnov fabricated information about Biden.
Smirnov, previously known as a confidential source, had conversations with the FBI, alleging that the head of Ukrainian energy company Burisma paid Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, $5 million each to avoid scrutiny. These allegations form the core of the GOP’s bribery claim against the president.
"In a detailed indictment, Special Counsel David Weiss — who was appointed by former President Donald Trump — has demonstrated how key evidence at the heart of House Republicans' impeachment inquiry is based on a lie," Raskin said, reported The Hill.
"Special Counsel Weiss's investigation is just the most recent to debunk the Ukraine-Burisma conspiracy theory at the heart of this fraudulent impeachment inquiry."
"It is an undeniable fact that Republicans' allegations against President Biden have always been a tissue of lies built on conspiracy theories, and I formally call on Speaker Johnson, Chairman Comer, and House Republicans to stop promoting this nonsense and end their doomed impeachment inquiry," he added.
See Also: Jamie Raskin Raises Skepticism Over Witness Claims In GOP’s Biden Impeachment Inquiry
Why It Matters: This development comes after Raskin earlier this week raised concerns about the credibility of a crucial witness in the Republican-led impeachment inquiry of President Biden. Raskin expressed doubts about the credibility of Tony Bobulinski, a business associate of the Biden family, and urged the Oversight Chairman to summon other Trump administration and campaign officials to verify any testimony provided by Bobulinski.
Raskin has repeatedly criticized the GOP’s impeachment inquiry against Biden. In September last year, he launched an offensive against Republican impeachment efforts targeting President Biden. He spearheaded a subpoena for Trump's ally Rudy Giuliani to undermine the Republican-led impeachment inquiry, depicting the investigation as a scheme ignited by former President Trump.
Meanwhile, a recent investigation by Special Counsel Robert Hur into President Biden’s handling of classified documents concluded without the filing of criminal charges, despite findings of willful retention and disclosure of sensitive military and national security information. The report said Biden's memory was "significantly limited" during interviews conducted in 2023. According to Real Clear Politics, at the national level, Biden is a leading Democrat with 72.3% support in the 2024 presidential primary race.
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