House Republicans will target Obama-era officials in Hunter Biden probe
House Republicans eye depositions of former Obama staffers as they probe influence peddling charges
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Former President Barack Obama's administration left office six years ago, but some former staffers may soon find themselves at the center of a congressional probe into Hunter Biden if Republicans retake the House majority.
House Republicans on the Oversight and Reform Committee are planning widespread investigations into President Biden and his son, Hunter, over allegations of influence peddling. The probe will cover not only the Justice Department's current handling of its investigation into Hunter Biden's taxes and business dealings, but also his ties to the Obama administration.
Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, the top Republican on the oversight panel, told Fox News Digital that Republicans on the committee are focusing on Hunter Biden's business dealings in Ukraine and China during the Obama years. He said if Republicans win the majority, the committee is likely to pursue that line of investigation.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"This investigation isn't just about Hunter Biden," said Comer. "And it's not going to end if he gets indicted on an application to purchase a gun or for tax evasion. We're looking at serious influence peddling accusations."
HUNTER BIDEN PROBE REACHES 'CRITICAL STAGE' AS OFFICIALS WEIGH POSSIBLE CHARGES: SOURCE
House Oversight Republicans are narrowing in on Hunter Biden's business dealings in Ukraine and China throughout the administration of President Barack Obama. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
To that end, House Republicans will look to depose Obama administration personnel and records relating to Hunter Biden's business dealings. Lawmakers also plan to subpoena documents relating to the president's brother, James Biden, who often partnered with Hunter on ventures.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Comer and his investigators are using information from Hunter Biden's laptop and government whistle-blowers to serve as the basis for depositions and public hearings.
"One of the things in the emails and texts that keeps popping up is how [Hunter Biden and others] make a sales pitch to one of our adversaries in the Middle East, or in China and Russia, and they say essentially we'll help you navigate the Obama-era bureaucracy," said Comer. "So we want to hear from people working in the government, in the Obama-Biden administration, and ask whether they were doing things to help this country or that country at the request of the Bidens."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}House Republicans say Hunter Biden had significant access to the Obama administration during his father's eight-year tenure as vice president. They also note that several former Obama-administration aides linked to Hunter Biden now hold high-ranking positions within the current White House.
Comer pointed to Hunter Biden's work for the Ukranian energy company Burisma Holdings as something that will require further investigation.
"He joined the company when Joe Biden was kind of the Ukraine-czar and there are a lot of questions about Hunter's shady business dealings that need to be answered," said Comer.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"This investigation isn't just about Hunter Biden," said Rep. James Comer, R-Ky. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Despite not being able to speak Ukrainian and having no background in energy, the younger Biden joined the company's board of directors in 2014. The appointment happened around the same time that then-Vice President Joe Biden was chosen to lead the Obama administration's response to the Russian Invasion of Crimea.
Hunter Biden wrote in a 2021 memoir that he joined the company's board at a time its founder was looking "lure more U.S. and European investors, both as a way to grow his business and as a show of solidarity with the West."
"Knowing all of that now: No, I would not do it again," wrote Hunter Biden. "I wouldn’t take a seat on Burisma’s board."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}HUNTER BIDEN PROBE REACHES ‘CRITICAL STAGE,’ AS OFFICIALS WEIGH POSSIBLE CHARGES: SOURCE
House Republicans say that Hunter Biden likely had significant access to the Obama administration during his father's eight-year tenure as vice president. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for World Food Program USA)
Both the president and Hunter Biden have denied there was anything unethical about the appointment. House Oversight Republicans say their committee will make that final determination.
Comer said that despite some information already being made public through leaked emails from Hunter Biden's laptop, there was much still to be exposed. He said Republicans have been stymied in their efforts to garner more information by Democratic control of Congress.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We're going to be very busy deposing people," Comer said. "In a deposition, you are able to extract a lot more information, then you can in a committee hearing when you've got five minutes, and you'd have to rotate from Republican to Democrat."