Ahead of Hunter Biden’s testimony before the House Oversight Committee’s impeachment inquiry this week, Republicans didn’t make much of an effort to hype the closed-door Q&A, but after it wrapped up, they were eager to present it as a partisan success.
The three GOP lawmakers spearheading the impeachment crusade — Oversight Chair James Comer, Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, and Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith — sat down with Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Wednesday night, and the host asked, “On a scale of one through 10, how damaging was today’s testimony — or deposition — to Hunter Biden?”
Smith, who did not attend the deposition, replied, “I’d say an eight.” Comer agreed.
At that point, however, it was difficult to say with confidence whether the Republicans’ boasts had merit, since the public had not yet seen a transcript of the Q&A.
The morning after the Hannity interview, shortly before the transcript started reaching inboxes, the party’s tone shifted. Republican Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona appeared on Fox and conceded that the official record would “read well” for Biden because lawyers representing the president’s son did “a great job” preparing the witness.
It was the first big hint of what was to come. NBC News reported on the release of the 229-page transcript:
The document … underscores the disconnect between what House Republicans have repeatedly alleged are criminal actions by Hunter Biden and his father and the documentation and testimony they have made public as part of their impeachment inquiry. “We wanted a quick and full release” of the transcript, a representative from Hunter Biden’s legal team told NBC News on Thursday. “This transcript shows why this [investigation] needs to end. They have nothing.”
A Washington Post analysis drew a similar conclusion, equating the deposition to a Bruce Lee movie.
Republican legislators and interviewers challenging the president’s son on the House majority’s behalf…
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