House Republicans issued subpoenas to members of President Joe Biden’s family on Wednesday, the most significant step yet in an impeachment investigation fiercely opposed by Democrats and challenging the scope of congressional oversight authorities.
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The long-awaited move by House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer to subpoena the president’s son Hunter and his brother James comes as Republicans seek to make progress in their almost year-long probe. So far, they have not found any evidence directly linking the president to any wrongdoing.
Who is James Comer?
James Richardson Comer Jr. is a Kentucky politician who represents the state’s 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. Comer, as chair of the Oversight Committee beginning in 2023, has declined or halted investigations into former President Donald Trump. Comer is currently in charge of an inquiry of the Bidens.
From 2012 to 2016, Comer was Kentucky’s agricultural commissioner, and from 2000 to 2012, he was a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives. In the 2015 election, he ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for governor of Kentucky. A year later, he won the Republican nomination to replace Ed Whitefield in Kentucky’s 1st congressional district.
Comer has had a number of positions in politics, including his present position as chair of the Oversight Committee. He has been a part of investigations involving both President Biden and former President Trump.
Comer’s action is a significant turn in the current impeachment investigation, as House Republicans step up their attempts to investigate the Biden family’s economic dealings and alleged influence peddling.
