House GOP's 1st Biden impeachment hearing was 'an unmitigated disaster'

House Republicans kicked off their effort to impeach President Biden, and there is general agreement it did not go well

Reps. Jamie Raskin, James Comer and Jason Smith
Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), James Comer (R-Ky.) and Jason Smith (R-Mo.)
(Image credit: Drew Angerer / Getty Images)

The House Oversight Committee held its first hearing Thursday in an impeachment inquiry House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) recently launched against President Biden. Committee chair Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) said House Republicans have "a mountain of evidence revealing how Joe Biden abused his public office for his family’s financial gain." But "multiple witnesses called by the majority undercut the GOP's core message against Biden," Politico noted, and none presented any evidence to back up the GOP's claims. 

"I do not believe that the current evidence would support articles of impeachment," said conservative law professor Jonathan Turley of George Washington University, one of three GOP witnesses.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.