Washington: A US Republican lawmaker on Tuesday accused aides of former President Joe Biden of suppressing damaging intelligence in 2016 about his actions in Ukraine and his son Hunter's business ties, citing newly declassified documents released by the CIA.
According to Anadolu Agency, Representative James Comer, in an interview with right-wing outlet Newsmax, stated that documents recently made public by CIA Director John Ratcliffe reveal that Biden's office, while he was vice president under President Barack Obama, blocked the release of an intelligence memo from US officials in Kyiv, Ukraine.
The memo reportedly detailed Ukrainian leaders' dissatisfaction with Biden's 2015 visit to Kyiv and raised concerns over Hunter Biden's profitable position at Burisma Holdings, an energy company that was compensating him approximately $1 million annually.
Comer described the situation as a significant cover-up, suggesting that the efforts to conceal the memo might be more severe than the alleged misconduct itself. As chair of the House Oversight Committee, Comer alleged that the memo was concealed to safeguard Biden's reputation ahead of his 2020 presidential campaign. He claimed this revelation supports Republican investigations into what he describes as the "Biden family influence-peddling scheme."
Comer also referenced the impeachment of Donald Trump, arguing that Trump was impeached merely for inquiring about these events, which Comer now believes have been substantiated.
For several years, Republicans have advanced numerous theories involving Democrat Biden and his son, supported by multiple congressional investigations. Despite this, the former president has not been charged, although Hunter Biden was convicted last year related to a 2018 gun purchase due to lying about his drug addiction.
During his first term, Trump was impeached twice, in 2020 and 2021, on charges of seeking foreign interference in his 2020 reelection campaign and later on charges of inciting an insurrection during the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol. Trump was acquitted on both occasions.