Hunter Biden says Republican impeachment probe ‘baseless’

WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden took a defiant tone at a Republican-led House of Representatives impeachment inquiry into his father, calling it a “baseless” partisan pursuit against his family.

“For more than a year, your committees have hunted me in your partisan political pursuit of my dad,” the younger Biden said, according to prepared testimony released to reporters as he entered the hearing.

“You have trafficked in innuendo, distortion and sensationalism -- all the while ignoring the clear and convincing evidence staring you in the face. You do not have evidence to support the baseless and MAGA-motivated conspiracies about my father because there isn’t any,” Hunter Biden said, referring to the “Make America Great Again” slogan of his father’s leading November election opponent, Donald Trump.

Republicans, who narrowly control the House, are pushing ahead with their impeachment inquiry even after the person who provided accusations at the heart of their case was charged with lying to the FBI.

The hearing comes three days before the US government will run out of money to keep all agencies open if Congress fails to act by week’s end.

Investigators are expected to ask Hunter Biden, 54, about his business activities, including his role with Chinese firm CEFC and on the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma.

House Republicans have been probing the Biden family’s business dealings and have cited claims the former FBI informant made that he has now been charged with lying about, with prosecutors warning that he had contact with Russian intelligence agencies.