Romney: No evidence to back Biden impeachment
WASHINGTON — Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, threw cold water on House Republicans’ impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, saying he does not “see any evidence” the president’s actions warrant his removal from office.
Romney, who has long criticized the GOP’s direction, said in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that House Republicans “ought to have some evidence” of wrongdoing before opening an impeachment inquiry.
“So far, there’s nothing of that nature that’s been provided,” Romney said. Were he a member in the House, he added, he would vote against the inquiry.
Romney’s comments come as House Republicans are slated to vote to formally authorize their impeachment inquiry on Tuesday in a bid to bolster the probe’s legal standing in court.
House Republicans allege that Biden financially benefited from his family’s foreign business dealings, but they have yet to provide evidence showing Biden reaped personal benefits from his family’s overseas affairs.
Former House Speaker Kevin Mc
Carthy, R-Calif., opened the inquiry in September without a vote on the House floor, citing precedent that House Democrats created in 2019 when they opened an impeachment inquiry into former President Donald Trump without a vote.
The White House has scoffed at the impeachment inquiry and has cited a Trump-era Justice Department opinion against House Republicans. The opinion declares any impeachment inquiry opened without a vote on the House floor invalid.
The hope from House Republicans is that − if they can formally authorize the inquiry with a green-light from the lower chamber − GOP investigators’ requests for information from the White House will hold water in court.
Republicans have taken specific aim at the president’s son, Hunter Biden. Their inquiry has shown Hunter Biden made millions from his overseas business affairs, and, apart from the inquiry, a federal grand jury indicted him on charges he failed to pay his income taxes. It is not clear how the charges will affect the inquiry.
“We are not responsible for the misdeeds of our kids and grandkids and great grandkids,” Romney said.