Comer: Criminal referrals in Biden probe could come 'within weeks'

Source: The Hill

04/17/24 12:05 PM ET


House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) said Wednesday that criminal referrals stemming from his investigation into President Biden could come “within weeks” even as he cautioned that “impeachment is still on the table.” Comer told Fox’s Maria Bartiromo that criminal referrals may be swiftly considered now that President Biden and his son Hunter Biden both declined to appear before the committee.

“I think that what we had to do was give both Bidens an opportunity to come set the record straight,” Comer said, adding he does not believe there have ever been criminal referrals “for an immediate president of the United States and their family.” The consideration of criminal referrals as a way to wrap up the investigation dovetailed with growing skepticism in the GOP over whether there would be sufficient votes to back an impeachment effort.

Numerous GOP colleagues have said they have not seen enough evidence to support impeaching the president, while Democrats have pushed Comer to name a crime he believes President Biden has committed. The suggestion that such referrals could come within weeks is a more expedited timeline than Comer has previously suggested and the chair also told Bartiromo that, “I think you’re gonna see this thing start to wrap up very soon.”

Criminal referrals, which typically must also be voted on by the full House, largely serve as a recommendation from Congress to the Justice Department that it should take up an investigation.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4600059-comer-house-oversight-bidens-criminal-referrals/