Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) twice refused to say whether he believes President Joe Biden took bribes when pressed by Sean Hannity on Fox News.
Some congressional Republicans alleged Biden took bribes when he was vice president, but have yet to furnish evidence to substantiate the explosive accusations. Moreover, Republicans have pushed the debunked claim that as vice president, Biden leveraged foreign aid to Ukraine to get its government to fire a prosecutor investigating Burisma – an energy company on whose board his son Hunter Biden served.
The record puts this claim to rest, as Joe Biden sought the termination of the prosecutor because he was not investigating corruption in the country.
“This is a real Joe Biden – not Hunter Biden – bribery scandal allegation here,” Hannity declared on Monday before repeating the prosecutor claim. “Tell me how that’s not influence-peddling. You know, the bribery statute, Mr. Speaker, does not demand that somebody benefit themselves financially. In this case, the vice president… took a specific action and his family was involved in personal enrichment. That being Hunter, based on his actions. Is that bribery to you?”
McCarthy’s response nearly sounded like a “yes,” but it did not quite get there.
“Sean, everything that you just talked about, nobody in America knew until you had a change in Congress,” he replied. “And you are right. This isn’t about Hunter Biden. This is about paying to play for the Biden family because the money goes to nine different members through shell companies like the informant said. So, we will continue to follow the information wherever it takes us and provide it to the American public.”
Later in the interview, Hannity tried again.
“Do you believe we are looking at a bribery scandal with Joe Biden, who’s now president – actions he took as vice president in exchange for family enrichment?” the host pressed.
Again, McCarthy answered without answering.
“Well, I don’t know of any other family that puts together in government 20 shell companies while you’re the vice president of America,” he replied. “My family has no shell companies.”
The speaker concluded by saying the onus is on the Bidens to prove they weren’t engaged in nefarious dealings.
“I think there’s enough proof out there that this Biden family needs to come forward and show there wasn’t a play to play,” McCarthy said. “America deserves more.”
Last month, McCarthy floated launching an impeachment inquiry into the president.
“I believe we will follow this all the way to the end, and this is gonna rise to an impeachment inquiry the way the Constitution tells us to do this,” he told Hannity at the time.
Watch above via Fox News.
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