GOP presidential candidate and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says Americans want an investigation into President Biden's alleged involvement in his son Hunter's business affairs, but says more evidence is needed before House Republicans begin a "full-blown impeachment" inquiry.
Christie, who served as a federal prosecutor before winning election as governor in 2009, made his comments at a town hall at New Hampshire-based New England College minutes before Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced that he was directing a committee to open an impeachment inquiry into the president.
"I think there should be an inquiry made about what has gone on with the Bidens' business situations. But I think they can do that through their oversight function and have the DOJ [Department of Justice] special counsel that's been appointed now in the Hunter Biden situation look at that, as well," Christie said during the town hall, which was hosted by Sirius XM. "I think, yeah, they should."
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But he added, "I don't think there's enough evidence at this moment to open a full-blown impeachment on Joe Biden. And I think that wouldn't be smart to do."
House Republicans charge that the president — when he was serving as vice president in the Obama administration — profited off his son Hunter's foreign business deals. But the ongoing probes by the House GOP majority have yet to produce hard evidence linking Biden directly to his son.
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"If it got to the point where, as vice president, he in any way shared in the money that went along with that, I think that would be a really significant problem," Christie said.
Asked if it would be an "impeachable" offense, Christie answered, "Yeah, I think so."
While Christie was on stage in New Hampshire — the state that holds the first primary and second overall contest in the GOP presidential nominating calendar — McCarthy was talking to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
McCarthy said the House Oversight Committee’s investigation so far has found a "culture of corruption" around the Biden family.
"These are allegations of abuse of power, obstruction and corruption, and they warrant further investigation by the House of Representatives," he argued.
McCarthy's announcement came as the House Republican leader faces increasing pressure from his right flank to get the ball rolling on impeaching Biden.
Minutes after the Speaker made his news, far right Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida called the announcement a "baby step" and emphasized that "we must move faster."
Christie, speaking with Fox News after the town hall, was asked if the push by House Republicans will serve as an obstacle to the GOP candidates on the presidential campaign trail.
"Depends on how they do it. I mean, I think if they do a fair investigation into what's going on with Hunter Biden and what then-Vice President Biden was involved in or not involved. And I think that's something that the American people want to know. So they've got to do it in a fair way," he said.
The White House criticized the impeachment push by McCarthy as politically motivated.
"House Republicans have been investigating the President for 9 months, and they’ve turned up no evidence of wrongdoing…His own GOP members have said so…He vowed to hold a vote to open impeachment, now he flip flopped because he doesn’t have support… Extreme politics at its worst," White House spokesman Ian Sams argued in a social media posting.