Witness says Joe Biden talked to Hunter’s business associates; GOP sees smoking gun, Dems downplay

Posted on July 31, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

Hunter Biden’s former associate Devon Archer said Hunter would sometimes put then-Vice President Joe Biden on speakerphone while meeting with business partners, two lawmakers said Monday.

Archer spoke to the House Oversight and Accountability Committee on Monday in a closed-door meeting. The panel is investigating Hunter Biden and what, if any, role his father played in his foreign business dealings.

But Republicans and Democrats were split on whether Archer's comments were a sign that now-President Biden has been working closely with his son's business deals, something the White House has denied.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., told Fox News Digital that Archer’s admission proves Biden "lied" about not being involved in his son’s foreign dealings.

BIDEN'S NARRATIVE ON NEVER DISCUSSING BUSINESS DEALS WITH HUNTER CONTINUES TO CRUMBLE

Greene, who was not in the meeting but said she is getting regular updates from her staff, said that Archer "said specifically, he heard Hunter Biden speak to Joe Biden more than 20 times" and said Archer recalled the conversations were "about their business deals."

"Not about lunch or the weather or just getting dad on the phone. It's about their business deals. He also said that the Bidens were in the business of influence peddling. And that is significant. Very significant," Greene said.

"What that does is that proves Joe Biden lied…think about how significant that is. That means Kevin McCarthy calling for an impeachment inquiry is the right thing to do," she said.

On the other side of the aisle, freshman Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., told reporters that Archer said Biden was on the phone when he was working with Hunter. But Goldman said they discussed "casual niceties" and "the weather" rather than topics of business.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS CHEER ‘BIG WIN FOR THE RULE OF LAW’ AFTER HUNTER BIDEN’S ‘SWEETHEART’ DEAL COLLAPSES

"Like many people, Hunter spoke with his father every day, and would often put his father, occasionally would put his father on to say hello to whomever he happened to be caught at dinner with, and Mr. Archer clarified that was sometimes people that they were having, you know, they were trying to do business with, and it was sometimes friends or other social engagements," he said.

"As he described it, it was all casual niceties, the weather, what's going on," Goldman added. "There wasn't a single conversation about any of the business dealings that Hunter had."

Greene, however, accused Goldman of covering up for the president and his family. She pointed out that before coming to Congress, Goldman first gained national attention as House Democrats’ lead counsel during the first impeachment of former President Trump.

"Dan Goldman is a former prosecutor on the impeachment team of President Trump, and now has basically just declared himself the de facto attorney for Joe Biden and Hunter Biden. And so he's standing out there trying to downplay this and spin this, but that's not what was said," Greene said.

HUNTER BIDEN'S PLEA DEAL WAS MEANT TO ‘PROTECT’ BIDEN'S CRIMINAL INVOLVEMENT: TED CRUZ

Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., told reporters that he believes Archer's testimony "implicated the president" but said of the phone calls with business associates, "The substance of the conversations were pleasantries."

Archer said that Biden was put on the phone to sell "the brand," a source told Fox News. These phone calls included a dinner in Paris with a French energy company and in China with Jonathan Li of BHR.

Archer testified there was value of adding Hunter Biden to Burisma’s board was "the brand," the source said. The argument was that then-Vice President Joe Biden brought the most value. Archer also stated that Burisma would have gone under if not for "the brand."

‘Impeachment Week’

Posted on July 28, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

You’ve heard of "infrastructure week."

The past week wasn’t quite "impeachment week" for House Republicans.

But it came close.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., went further on impeachment for President Biden than he had before.

THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO HOW HUNTER BIDEN'S LEGAL WOES COULD ACCELERATE AN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

"This is rising to the level of impeachment inquiry which provides Congress the strongest power to get the rest of the knowledge and information needed," said McCarthy on Fox. "This President has also used something we have not seen since Richard Nixon used the weaponization of government to benefit his family and deny Congress the ability to have the oversight."

This suggests the House could prospectively launch an impeachment inquiry into President Biden over alleged ties to his son’s business dealings.

"When more of this continues to unravel, it rises to the level of an impeachment inquiry where you would have the Congress have the power to get to all these answers," said McCarthy.

In addition, McCarthy has more than cracked the door on impeachment with President Biden and maybe even Attorney General Merrick Garland.

"I would move to an impeachment inquiry if I found that the Attorney General has not only lied to the Congress, the Senate, but to America," said McCarthy said earlier this month about Garland and how his office handled the Hunter Biden case.

But while McCarthy talks "impeachment inquiry," he’s not ready to launch an actual impeachment inquiry.

"Define what this is right now," I asked the Speaker on Tuesday.

"We’re no different from where we were yesterday," replied McCarthy. "We continue to find more information.

But just the Speaker saying "impeachment" alters the fundamental equation.

McCarthy’s impeachment language impresses the hard right.

"When he does speak to impeachment, it carries a tremendous amount of weight," said Rep. Bob Good, R-Va.

I asked Good if the Speaker mentioning this "shifted the ground?"

"I don't think there's any question that him speaking to that has caused a paradigm shift," said Good.

The House must vote to launch an official impeachment inquiry. As per usual, this is about the math. It’s unclear if the House has the votes to do that. Let alone impeach the President. Or Garland. Or anyone else.
House Republicans are struggling to settle on exactly who they want to impeach.

"It's all of the above," said Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C. "Look at the evidence that we have."

Sometimes mentioned as impeachment candidates: FBI Director Christopher Wray and U.S. Attorney for Delaware David Weiss. Weiss handled the Hunter Biden prosecution. Another name: U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew Graves.

IMPEACH BIDEN OR MAYORKAS? WHAT IT TAKES FOR 'IMPEACHMENT' PROCEEDINGS TO SUCCEED IN THE HOUSE

It can be hard to keep up.

Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., suggested that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is the "low hanging fruit."

A senior House Republican leadership source tells Fox that potential impeachment for Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is "the furthest along." Although that doesn’t mean that it’s that far along. It’s just that GOPers believe they have the strongest case against Mayorkas regarding the border.

Fox is told that this is something of a high-level "trial balloon." McCarthy wants to get a sense of what GOPers want to do. And most importantly, where the votes may lie for impeaching anyone.

Thus, the math.

A senior House GOP source says Republicans leaders will try to see "if there is one (impeachment) that could pass."

Keep in mind that House Republicans are only operating with a four seat majority. Threading the needle on anything as serious as impeachment is challenging.

"A lot of our members will make decisions on how well the argument is made," said a Republican leadership source.

The problem for the GOP is that there is a wide swath of Republican members in rock-ribbed conservative districts who would impeach Mr. Biden and many members of his cabinet "no matter what" said one GOP source. But actually executing a successful impeachment depends on the math.

There are 18 House Republicans who represent districts which President Biden carried in 2020. A vote to impeach any cabinet figure, let alone the President, could spell a political death sentence.

So, impeachment is out there – even if it isn’t.

This sounds familiar.

Rewind to late July 2019, following the House testimony of Special Counsel Robert Mueller about former President Trump.

Mueller didn’t exactly deliver the goods on Mr. Trump at what turned out to be an overhyped hearing.

So, Democrats began talking about impeachment – without acting on impeachment – as they entered the customary August Congressional recess.

In 2019, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., opposed impeachment for former President Trump – until she didn’t.

But, as we often write in this space around this time of year, beware the Ides of August.

In August 2019, Pelosi observed a sea change in her caucus. A number of moderate Democratic freshmen who represented swing districts altered their views on impeachment.

Political leaders must have their finger on the pulse of their Members. This is critical. Otherwise, they look like they are being led by their members – not leading themselves. After there were more revelations about former President Trump’s phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Pelosi shifted her position.

McCarthy isn’t quite there yet on impeaching anyone. But he must be mindful of where his members are – and stay in front of them. McCarthy’s statements the past two weeks were efforts to "get in front" of his members, should the votes to impeach present themselves and there is a bona fide shift in that direction.

However, Fox is told that McCarthy is internally worried about overusing impeachment and protecting the institution of the House.

But all members on his right heard was "impeachment." And that’s all the red meat they needed to take into the August recess.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., says he would vote yes on impeachment. But Comer points out a stark fact.

"The Senate’s never going to remove from office," said Comer.

Democrats delight in the GOP impeachment milieu.

"Every week we hear a new member of the Biden administration that extreme MAGA Republicans are determined to impeach," said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. "The extreme MAGA Republican majority has nothing to show for their time in office but the peddling of conspiracy theories, facilitating hate against communities all across the country and figuring out who was going to be at the top of the list of their impeachment fantasies."

All of this could spell trouble if the GOP base expects too much.

"This is the danger, particularly for a Speaker, who has so far been trying to tamp down the impeachment expectations," said George Washington University professor Casey Burgat. "It seems like he's getting a lot of pushback within his individual conference to say, ‘hey, we have to escalate these investigations and impeachment is now on the table’ if it wasn't before."

So this will fester in August.

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House Republicans are planning more investigations over the next month. Burisma board member Devon Archer appears for a closed-door, transcribed interview on Monday. Burisma is the Ukrainian firm associated with Hunter Biden.

It wasn’t quite impeachment week. But some Republicans would like August to become impeachment month.

White House ignores Republicans demanding answers on Biden’s knowledge of Hunter Biden’s business dealings

Posted on July 28, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

House Republicans have gotten a cold shoulder from the White House after demanding answers about President Biden's knowledge of Hunter Biden's foreign business dealings.

In a July 20 letter to White House counsel Stuart Delery, four prominent Republicans in the House — GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith, R-Mo. — pressed for answers after the Biden administration shifted its messaging about the president's knowledge of Hunter Biden's business interests.

The lawmakers, expressing "concern over President Biden's involvement with Hunter Biden's foreign business dealings," said in the letter, which was first reported by the New York Post, the issue raises "national security and ethics concerns."

"President Biden and official White House spokespersons have said repeatedly that the President had no knowledge of his son’s business, nor did he discuss business with his son," the Republicans wrote.

ELISE STEFANIK BACKS BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY: 'OH, ABSOLUTELY'

"However, on June 29, 2023, Ian Sams, a spokesperson for the White House Counsel’s office, released a statement saying, ‘As we have said many times before, the President was not in business with his son.’

"This statement deviates from previous White House statements and brings forward concerns that the President knew of his son’s foreign business deals."

The lawmakers also included in the letter a string of questions for the White House counsel's office and requested a response by July 27. That request, however, was ignored by the White House.

Two questions asked by the GOP lawmakers: "Is the White House now admitting President Biden knew of and was involved in Hunter Biden's foreign business dealings" and "What was President Biden's involvement in these foreign business dealings?"

The lawmakers also sought to find out whether the Justice Department has "an open investigation regarding the uncovered WhatsApp message from Hunter Biden to a CEFC China Energy official."

"No matter how many times the White House desperately tries to cover up for Joe Biden, it is an indisputable fact that the White House has changed its position on Joe Biden’s knowledge of and involvement in Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings," Stefanik told The Post.

"The Biden administration’s continued stonewalling of House Republicans’ investigations into the Biden family influence peddling scheme and Joe Biden’s involvement will not deter us. We will leave no stone unturned and use every tool at our disposal to deliver accountability."

During an appearance on FOX Business Thursday, Stefanik made similar comments when she told a "Mornings with Maria" panel she would "absolutely" support the opening of an impeachment inquiry into Biden.

HUNTER BIDEN CONTRADICTS DAD'S CLAIM NOBODY IN FAMILY 'MADE MONEY FROM CHINA'

Asked whether she would support a potential impeachment inquiry, Stefanik responded, "Oh, absolutely. I'm in conversations with Speaker (Kevin) McCarthy and all of our members. The important thing to know about an impeachment inquiry is that it ensures that the House is at the apex of its power and oversight responsibility. It means that our subpoenas have the most power possible when it comes to litigating this out in court because we know getting the facts is not going to be easy.

"We know this White House, this Department of Justice, they are trying to cover up for Hunter Biden and, ultimately, Joe Biden. What is important that you mentioned at the beginning of your statement is the White House is trying to quietly change its language. First it said that Joe Biden never spoke to his son about Hunter's business dealings. They have now changed that language to now saying Joe Biden has never been in business with Hunter Biden's business operations. That is a significant change. …

"It is only because of House Republicans that we've discovered the dozens of LLCs, which is illegal money laundering, the fact that nearly 20 Biden family members have profited illegally."

McCarthy said this week that Republican lawmakers in the House may consider an impeachment inquiry of Biden over claims of financial misconduct.

Speaking Tuesday at the Capitol, McCarthy said the questions that House Republicans are raising about the Biden family finances need to be investigated. He said an impeachment inquiry "allows Congress to get the information to be able to know the truth" about whether Biden committed any wrongdoing.

An impeachment inquiry by the House would be a first step toward bringing articles of impeachment. Such a probe could be as lengthy or swift as the House determines, potentially stretching into campaign season.

Speaking to Fox News Digital about the subject earlier this week, McCarthy said his party will, for now, continue seeking information related to the Biden family finances unless that information began being withheld.

"What I've said is if they withhold information, the impeachment inquiry allows Congress to have the apex of power to get all the information they need. All this information people are finding out now is only because Republicans have investigated," McCarthy said.

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"The people of America have a right to know what went on. They have a president who lied to the American public and said they didn't get any money from China. We know that's true. We've had whistleblowers from the IRS come say the Biden family is treated differently and that other things were going on. And then you have a[n] informant with the FBI saying there was a bribe. We need to know the answer to this."

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Fox News' Brandon Gillespie and Charles Creitz, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

GOP splits on spending, abortion derail House vote, some Republicans warn of ‘catastrophic’ cuts

Posted on July 28, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

Disputes among House Republicans over spending cuts and abortion policy forced House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to scrap a vote planned for this week on one of 12 major funding bills for the next fiscal year.

The agriculture spending bill was expected to hit the House floor late this week, but lawmakers instead went home without any vote – a sign that Republicans may struggle to find agreement in their own party on these issues.

On the question of spending, members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus have been pushing for a total of $1.47 trillion in discretionary spending next year, while House GOP leaders set out a total of $1.58 trillion and have proposed funding bills based on that higher level.

When the agriculture spending bill came up this week, it became clear that conservative lawmakers couldn't support that specific bill or the broader GOP leadership plan. The decision to delay the vote sparked anger from rural Republicans, who said the party shouldn't be looking to cut any more from the agriculture bill.

HOUSE CONSERVATIVES HUNGRY FOR BIDEN IMPEACHMENT AFTER MCCARTHY’S COMMENTS: ‘GROUND SHIFTED’

"I just have very serious concerns of when you absolutely gut an [agriculture] appropriations bill, I mean, it has catastrophic effects on the safety of our food, cuts USDA inspectors, [affects] the export market – cutting important programs" said Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, who represents a heavily Republican rural district.

"It’s also catastrophic for our animal disease control – right now we’re trying stop . . . African Swine Fever, and when you gut this bill, you no longer have the funds to protect our animals here in the U.S.," he said.

Feenstra was careful not to directly blame the Freedom Caucus or its allies to Fox News Digital, but warned, "Whoever wants to take a big whack at this" that they were affecting "the breadbasket of the world."

Abortion policy was another point of division in the GOP this week. The agriculture bill included language that would curb access to mail-order abortion pills, a provision that conservatives said would be needed to secure their vote.

But the inclusion of that language is a problem for other Republicans.

"Some in the Freedom Caucus wanted significantly more spending cuts than were agreed upon. And so that is a big factor in this, as well as some of the language related to abortion that many of us expressed concerns about. And so those are coming forward," said freshman Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., who last year took a seat held by a Democrat.

HOUSE, SENATE HEADED FOR SPENDING SHOWDOWN AFTER SENATE PUSHES FOR $13.7 BILLION EXPANSION

Freedom Caucus members defended their positions that upended the GOP schedule this week.

Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., said it’s "certainly not true" that the cuts they are calling for would derail valuable programs. "Let me clarify, [agriculture] is, other than the military [and veterans bill], is the one with the very least amount of cuts," Good said.

Good also repeated the Freedom Caucus demand that they need to see what all 12 spending bills look like before they can start supporting them on the House floor.

"We want to know how all the bills fit together, how the whole puzzle fits together before we go down the road with, you know, some bills, and we don't know we've got the cuts in place for the remaining bills," he said. "And as it applies to [agriculture] specifically, we want to maintain all the conservative policy that's been in there."

Freedom Caucus Policy Chair Chip Roy, R-Texas, agreed that a full view of the spending picture is needed before anything else happens. When asked to respond to the comments from rural Republicans, Roy said, "Get in a room, and figure out how to get the cuts we need across the board."

ONLY FOUR DEMS VOTE WITH GOP TO PASS DEFENSE POLICY BILL ROLLING BACK ABORTION POLICY, 'WOKE' INITIATIVES

"We need to stop spending money we don’t have, we need to cut the bureaucracy. You want more money in ag? Go take it from [Health and Human Services]. If you want more money in HHS, go take it from [Department of Homeland Security]. I mean, that’s the way you do your budget at home," Roy said.

On the abortion pill provision currently in the bill, Roy said, "It’s definitely a problem if that’s not taken care of."

Rep. Ben Cline, R-Va., also challenged the notion that cuts the Freedom Caucus was seeking could be harmful, and suggested that specific reductions were suggested to House GOP leaders.

"The idea that there's no waste or bloat in the bureaucracy is ludicrous . . . in the [agriculture] bill, we have found some of it, quite a lot of it, actually," Cline told Fox News Digital. "We identified for leadership exactly where those areas are, and hopefully we can find a consensus that gets us across the finish line."

With Friday’s canceled vote, House lawmakers now have from Sept. 12 until Sept. 30 to pass the remaining 11 of 12 spending bills or some other form of appropriations for the next fiscal year, or risk a partial government shutdown. Earlier in the week, the House managed to pass a bill funding veterans and military construction, which reflects the broad GOP consensus for higher spending levels for veterans.

Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., the leader of the Main Street Caucus and a top ally of Speaker Kevin McCarthy, downplayed the GOP discord and expressed confidence that the House GOP could come together in time.

"This is a pretty conservative Republican conference. Most of us ran explicitly, because we wanted to, in a meaningful way, address that $32 trillion debt. And we're not going to be able to get that done without some decisions that are going to pinch some pretty important programs," he said.

"Now, exactly what those reductions look like, and to exactly what programs, we're still working that out. But I would tell you, we're making progress. It's not going quickly in any given day. But every day, I feel a little bit better about our chances to get there."

Elise Stefanik backs Biden impeachment inquiry: ‘Oh, absolutely’

Posted on July 27, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

House GOP conference chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., said Thursday morning that she would "absolutely" support the opening of an impeachment inquiry into President Biden.

Stefanik's comments came during an appearance on FOX Business, where she told a "Mornings with Maria" panel that she has been in contact with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., about the issue.

Asked whether she would support a potential impeachment inquiry, Stefanik responded, "Oh, absolutely. I'm in conversations with Speaker McCarthy and all of our members. The important thing to know about an impeachment inquiry is that ensures that the House is at the apex of its power and oversight responsibility. It means that our subpoenas have the most power possible when it comes to litigating this out in court because we know getting the facts is not going to be easy.

"We know this White House, this Department of Justice, they are trying to cover up for Hunter Biden and ultimately Joe Biden," she continued. "What is important that you mentioned at the beginning of your statement is the White House is trying to quietly change its language. First it said that Joe Biden never spoke to his son about Hunter's business dealings. They have now changed that language to now saying Joe Biden has never been in business with Hunter Biden's business operations. That is a significant change…"

SPEAKER MCCARTHY REVEALS RED LINE FOR POSSIBLE BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

"It is only because of House Republicans that we've discovered the dozens of LLCs, which is illegal money laundering, the fact that nearly 20 Biden family members have profited illegally," she added.

Stefanik said she believes that Americans are smart enough to realize, at this point, that the "big guy is Joe Biden."

"Having that impeachment inquiry allows us to get all the facts and have the most constitutionally recognized power for the House of Representatives," she concluded.

McCarthy said this week that Republican lawmakers in the House may consider an impeachment inquiry of Biden over claims of financial misconduct.

JOE BIDEN LAUGHS, IGNORES QUESTIONS ABOUT POTENTIAL IMPEACHMENT BY HOUSE REPUBLICANS

"What I've said is, if they withhold information, the impeachment inquiry allows Congress to have the apex of power to get all the information they need. All this information people are finding out now is only because Republicans have investigated," McCarthy said.

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Fox News' Brandon Gillespie and Charles Creitz, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Republicans fume at Mayorkas over border policies at fiery House hearing: ‘Our constituents want answers’

Posted on July 26, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was on the receiving end of another barrage from House Republicans on Wednesday as he faced the House Judiciary Committee and was quizzed about the administration’s efforts to tackle the border crisis.

"I’ve been in Congress seven years. I think you're the most dishonest witness that has ever appeared before the Judiciary Committee, and I think I speak for a lot of my colleagues," Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., said. "This is such a frustrating exercise for us because our constituents want answers."

The fireworks came as part of a House Judiciary Committee hearing on the department, which has been at the center of the handling of the ongoing crisis at the southern border in its third year.

Mayorkas has become a lightning rod for the crisis, with Republicans blaming him for running "open border" policies they say sparked and then fueled the border crisis, which saw over 1.7 million migrant encounters in fiscal 2021 and over 2.4 million in fiscal 2022.

MAYORKAS BAFFLED BY DEM REP'S BIZARRE HISTORIC TRIVIA IN BORDER HEARING

Republicans say that the rollback of Trump-era policies, including border wall construction, the Remain-in-Mexico policy and others, along with a reduction of interior enforcement and expansion of catch-and-release, has led to the historic surge. House Republicans have accused Mayorkas of dereliction of duty, with some backing a potential impeachment.

Mayorkas and the agency have pushed back consistently against those claims, arguing his agency is working in a broken system in need of reform by Congress while dealing with a hemisphere-wide crisis. The agency has pointed to a sharp drop in encounters after the end of the Title 42 public health order.

JUDICIARY CHAIR JORDAN TELLS MAYORKAS TO ‘BE PREPARED’ AHEAD OF KEY HEARING ON BORDER CRISIS

While encounters are still high, with over 144,000 in June, they were the lowest numbers since February 2021. It has led to claims by DHS that its post-Title 42 strategy is working. The strategy includes a historic expansion of the use of humanitarian parole to allow migrants in legally at ports of entry while limiting the ability of migrants who enter illegally to claim asylum.

"Our approach to managing the borders securely and humanely even within our fundamentally broken immigration system is working," Mayorkas said. "Unlawful entries between ports of entry along the southwest border have consistently decreased by more than half compared to the peak before the end of Title 42.

"Under President Biden's leadership, we have led the largest expansion of lawful, safe and orderly pathways for people to seek humanitarian relief under our laws. At the same time, imposing tougher consequences on those who instead resort to the ruthless smuggling organizations that prey on the most vulnerable."

But Republicans are unconvinced and have accused the administration of abusing parole, which is defined by Congress as an authority to be used on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian purposes or for significant public benefit.

They have said the use of parole — which includes up to 1,450 a day at the border via the controversial CBP One app and a policy to fly in up to 30,000 a month from four countries — is illegal.

Supporters of the use of parole by the administration have noted that multiple administrations have used it to grant relief on multiple occasions, including migrants fleeing Cuba and Vietnam and, most recently, "parole in place" to prevent deportation of illegal immigrant family members of military veterans. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., noted it had been used as far back as the Eisenhower administration.

"We have used our parole authority consistent with the law and consistent with past practices of different administrations," Mayorkas said.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., accused Mayorkas of orchestrating an "amnesty dance" with the CBP One app, which allows migrants to come to the border and schedule appointments to be paroled into the U.S.

"You've taken this app, and you've digitized illegal immigration. And you've scaled it to the moon," Gaetz said. "This app that you've got everybody downloading is like the Disney Fast Pass into the country, never to be subject to actual removal, just removal proceedings as you call them."

"I disagree with everything you said," Mayorkas responded.

HOUSE HOMELAND GOP REPORT ACCUSES MAYORKAS OF ‘INTENTIONAL’ DERELICTION OF DUTY OVER BORDER CRISIS

Gaetz and Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, repeatedly grilled Mayorkas in an effort to get key data, including the number of migrants who have been released into the U.S. during the Biden administration and have now been removed.

"Let me ask real quick: Can you get that number to us, like, tomorrow, or is it — you've got to go back and is it going to take weeks and months and haggling back and forth and all the letters we do? Congress writes letters to agencies, and we haggle back and forth, all that dance we have to do. Or can you just get us the number?" Jordan said.

"Mr. Chairman, we'll provide that data to you as promptly as possible," Mayorkas responded.

Democrats generally praised Mayorkas for the work he is doing and attempted to push back against Republican talking points.

Ranking member Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., accused Republicans of pushing a "dangerous" narrative of an invasion at the border.

"The invasion narrative some members push in this hearing room is bigoted, fact-free and dangerous," Nadler said, tying the rhetoric to the 2019 El Paso, Texas, shooting.

"We can draw a straight line from the hateful rhetoric we hear from some congressional Republicans to that horrific tragedy."

He also slammed Republicans for "outlandish claims" made at the hearings, particularly claims the border is open.

"The border is not open, and to say so is not only false but is really an insult to the brave men and women at Border Patrol who work every day to keep us safe," he said.

But a number of Republicans doubled down on accusing Mayorkas of pushing "open border policies" and expressed anger at what they saw as Mayorkas not answering any of their questions.

Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., at one point exploded at Mayorkas for his alleged lack of responsiveness.

"You’re not answering questions," Spartz said. "You’ve not answered any Republican questions. Is it something that your intent is not to respond to any questions from Republicans? You came with that intent?"

"That is incorrect, Congresswoman," he responded.

Speaker McCarthy reveals red line for possible Biden impeachment inquiry

Posted on July 26, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy revealed Republicans' red line for possible impeachment proceedings against President Biden, telling Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview on Tuesday that his party would, for now, continue seeking information related to the Biden family finances unless that information began being withheld.

McCarthy added that if "at any time" he felt they weren't going to be able to get the information they needed to progress through the investigation, then they "would have to rise to the level of impeachment inquiry."

MCCARTHY: BIDEN CASE WILL ‘RISE TO IMPEACHMENT’ AS 16 ROMANIAN PAYMENTS ALLEGEDLY WENT TO ‘SHELL COMPANIES’

"That's not happening today. But what I'm explaining to everybody that if we don't get the information, I will go to impeachment inquiry to make sure we get all the answers," he said.

When asked whether he thought a sitting U.S. president could be impeached based off actions that occurred before they took office, McCarthy dismissed dealing in hypotheticals.

"What we're looking right now is getting an answer to the questions and seeing, did [Attorney General Merrick] Garland lie to the American public or not? We know what has been said in these meetings, and we're going to get the answers," he said.

McCarthy predicted during a Monday appearance on Fox News' "Hannity" that House Republicans would soon have enough evidence gathered to mount an impeachment inquiry against Biden as the corruption scandal enveloping him and his son Hunter continues to grow.

HOUSE CONSERVATIVES HUNGRY FOR BIDEN IMPEACHMENT AFTER MCCARTHY'S COMMENTS: ‘GROUND SHIFTED’

During the interview, McCarthy said that 16 of the 17 payments the Bidens allegedly received from a Romanian national went to what he described as "Biden shell companies" while Biden was vice president. According to House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., the elder Biden had been "lecturing Romania on anti-corruption policies" while instead being a "walking billboard for his… family to collect money."

"When President Biden was running for office, he told the American public that he's never talked about [Hunter's] business. He said his family has never received a dollar from China, which we now prove is not true," McCarthy said during the interview.

Biden has long denied discussion or involvement in Hunter's business deals, recently rebuffing a New York Post reporter who asked why he is reportedly referred to as the "big guy" in the FBI form – which is the same nickname purportedly used as a pseudonym in a message gleaned from previously released documentation connected to Hunter.

DOJ OFFERS HUNTER BIDEN INVESTIGATOR FOR TESTIMONY BEFORE THE HOUSE

McCarthy's comments have riled up members of the House Freedom Caucus, who appeared eager Tuesday for him to make good on his veiled impeachment threats, with one saying the leader's words marked a "paradigm shift."

"When he does speak to … impeachment, it carries a tremendous amount of weight. And that's why I think the ground shifted on that a little bit when he opened up the door," Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., said after the group's Tuesday press conference. "I don't think there's any question that him speaking to that has caused a paradigm shift."

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Fox News' Charles Creitz and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.

Joe Biden laughs, ignores questions about potential impeachment by House Republicans

Posted on July 25, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

President Biden brushed off and smiled at reporters who peppered him with questions Tuesday evening about a potential impeachment by Republicans in the House.

Following a speech in the East Room of the White House about expanding access to mental health care, Biden made his way to the exit where a group of reporters eagerly asked for his thoughts about the growing discussion by Republicans to impeach him.

Amid numerous questions, one reporter asked, "Mr. President, McCarthy says he may [consider] an impeachment inquiry to get to the bottom of —"

Smiling from ear to ear in one clip shared to social media, Biden quickly passed by the noisy group of reporters.

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House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., says Republican lawmakers may consider an impeachment inquiry of Biden over claims of financial misconduct.

Speaking Tuesday at the Capitol, McCarthy said the questions House Republicans are raising about the Biden family finances need to be investigated. He said an impeachment inquiry "allows Congress to get the information to be able to know the truth" about whether Biden committed any wrongdoing.

Other Republicans also appear to be on board with the idea of impeachment, specifically House Freedom Caucus members.

"When he does speak to … impeachment, it carries a tremendous amount of weight. And that's why I think the ground shifted on that a little bit when he opened up the door," Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., said after a Freedom Caucus press conference on Tuesday. "I don't think there's any question that him speaking to that has caused a paradigm shift."

Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., suggested there would be "an uprising" against Biden if the House did not move forward with trying to remove him.

"Look, the evidence is mounting against this guy. Look at what he’s done," Norman said. "What Donald Trump’s done with papers pales in comparison."

Norman said there was a "difference of opinion" on whether to take such a severe step but dismissed the idea of risking an impeachment vote that fails.

"Some people think that what he’s done isn’t that bad. A lot of us in general — the public, it’s gonna be an uprising against this guy, I think, at the end of the day."

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McCarthy predicted Monday that Republicans will gather enough evidence soon to mount an impeachment inquiry against Biden, as the corruption scandal enveloping him and his son Hunter continues to grow.

McCarthy made reference to a relatively new revelation from the House Oversight Committee that — while Joe was vice president — Hunter Biden "capitalized" on a financial relationship with a Romanian national later convicted on corruption charges.

According to prepared remarks from House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., in June, the Bidens received more than $1 million in 17 increments.

McCarthy, during an appearance on Fox News, said that 16 of those 17 payments went to what he described as "Biden shell companies" while President Biden was vice president. According to Comer's prepared remarks, the elder Biden had been "lecturing Romania on anti-corruption policies" while instead being a "walking billboard for his … family to collect money."

He said evidence and legitimacy of their caucus' probes are mounting, as he described the two IRS investigators who testified before Congress last week as "some of the most credible" to come forward.

McCarthy cited the FBI 1023 form wherein a confidential human source told the bureau that Biden was paid $5 million by a Burisma executive while he was vice president and while Hunter was on the board.

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Biden has long denied discussion or involvement in Hunter's business deals, recently rebuffing a New York Post reporter who asked why he is reportedly referred to as the "big guy" in the FBI form — which is the same nickname purportedly used as a pseudonym in a message gleaned from previously released documentation connected to Hunter.

McCarthy on Tuesday gave no timeline for launching an impeachment inquiry into Biden.

Fox News' Charles Creitz and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

House conservatives hungry for Biden impeachment after McCarthy’s comments: ‘Ground shifted’

Posted on July 25, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

House Freedom Caucus members on Tuesday appeared eager for Speaker Kevin McCarthy to make good on his recent veiled impeachment threat against President Biden, and one member of the conservative group of GOP members said the leader’s words marked a "paradigm shift."

"When he does speak to … impeachment, it carries a tremendous amount of weight. And that's why I think the ground shifted on that a little bit when he opened up the door," Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., said after a Freedom Caucus press conference on Tuesday. "I don't think there's any question that him speaking to that has caused a paradigm shift."

After a series of hearings and briefings on alleged misconduct by Biden and his family, McCarthy said on Fox News's "Hannity" Monday night, "This is rising to the level of impeachment inquiry, which provides Congress the strongest power to get the rest of the knowledge and information needed."

It’s the most direct comment yet the speaker has made about impeaching Biden, something the hardliners in his conference have been clamoring for since the House GOP took the majority this year.

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Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., suggested there would be "an uprising" against Biden if the House did not move forward with trying to remove him.

"Look, the evidence is mounting against this guy. Look at what he’s done," Norman said. "What Donald Trump’s done with papers pales in comparison."

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Norman said there was a "difference of opinion" on whether to take such a severe step but dismissed the idea of risking an impeachment vote that fails.

"Some people think that what he’s done isn’t that bad. A lot of us in general — the public, it’s gonna be an uprising against this guy, I think, at the end of the day."

It's not just Biden that Republicans are looking to target. GOP members have called for impeachment proceedings against some of the president’s top Cabinet officials, including Attorney General Merrick Garland and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

Norman answered "all of the above" during the press conference when asked about which Biden official should be impeached first.

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Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., said Mayorkas would be the "low hanging fruit" to initially consider. "But with the evidence that we've induced in the Oversight Committee and Judiciary Committee with regard to the Biden — I would call it from the crime syndicate, I don't know what else you can call it — the corruption that's there," he said.

"That would certainly be a very interesting and perhaps even necessary step," he said. "I’ll just tell you that the evidence I’ve seen is overwhelming, and it would lead one to believe our president, our sitting president, is corrupted and compromised."

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At one point Norman took a jab at Vice President Kamala Harris that earned some nervous laughter by saying, "I realize the replacement for Joe Biden is probably giggling somewhere now, so she’s not an alternative."

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not immediately hear back.

Impeach Biden or Mayorkas? What it takes for ‘impeachment’ proceedings to succeed in the House

Posted on July 25, 2023 by Latest Political News on Fox News

A senior House Republican source tells Fox that potential impeachment for Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is "the furthest along."

Although that does not mean that it is that far along. It is just that GOPers believe they have the strongest case and evidence against Mayorkas.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., recently cracked the door open to impeaching Attorney General Merrick Garland and President Biden.

Fox is told those are something of high-level "trial balloons." The reason is that McCarthy wants to get a sense of what GOPers want to do where the votes may lie for impeaching anyone.

Will there be an impeachment?

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It is about the math.

A senior House GOP source says Republican leaders will try to see "if there is one (impeachment) that could pass."

House Republicans are only operating with a four-seat majority and will need nearly every single GOP vote to send impeachment articles to the Senate. Threading the needle on anything as serious as impeachment will be a challenge.

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"A lot of our members will make decisions on how well the argument is made," a Republican leadership source told Fox News, noting that Mayorkas may be the best candidate for impeachment right now.

The problem for the GOP is that there is a wide swath of Republican members in rock-ribbed conservative districts who would impeach Biden and many members of his cabinet "no matter what." However, actually executing a successful impeachment depends on the math.

There are 18 House Republicans who represent districts which President Biden carried in 2020. A vote to impeach any cabinet figure, let alone the president, could be a political death sentence for Republicans in those swing districts.

In 2019, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., opposed impeachment of former President Trump — until she did not. By August 2019, Pelosi observed a sea change in her caucus. A number of moderate Democratic freshman who represented swing districts were shifting their views on impeachment.

Political leaders must have their finger on the pulse of their members. Without that crucial insight, they risk looking like they are being led by their members, not leading themselves. So, Pelosi shifted her position.

McCarthy does not appear to be ready to impeach, but he must be mindful of where his members are, and be in front of them. McCarthy’s statements the past two weeks were likely efforts to "get in front" of his members, should the votes to impeach present themselves and there is a bona fide shift in that direction.

Calls for impeachment recently ramped up after Sen. Chuck Grassley released the FD-1023 form that found first son Hunter Biden allegedly received millions of dollars as a result of a bribery scheme involving Burisma CEO Mykola Zlochevsky.

Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, immediately wrote that the form is "damning evidence that Biden is compromised," while Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., said "Biden should be thrown out of office. Impeach!"

While President Biden repeatedly denies having any knowledge of Hunter's business dealings, McCarthy recently highlighted vital evidence in the House GOP investigation of several payments going to "Biden shell companies" while he was serving as vice president.