Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., snapped at a reporter after being asked to provide “actual evidence” to justify launching a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday directed three committees to investigate Biden over what he called “credible allegations” that the president engaged in a “culture of corruption.” McCarthy’s unilateral decision was a sharp departure from his previous stance and came after a period of sustained pressure from “MAGA” Republicans. The speaker has previously said he would launch an investigation only after a House vote.
Republicans have yet to provide any evidence of Biden’s guilt, not even a solid link to his son Hunter Biden’s business dealings. Perry, a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, became visibly irritated when reporters asked him what evidence he had to support an impeachment inquiry at a far-right Freedom Caucus news conference he hosted on Tuesday.
Drew Angler
“Contrary to the accusations, what actual evidence do you have that you can present to the American public that would warrant a real impeachment inquiry against Joe Biden?” Reporter ask In a video shared by journalist Aaron Rupar to X (formerly Twitter). “And to prove that today is not just some of you … seeking political revenge for the impeachment of Donald Trump?”
“Oh, I don’t know!” Perry snapped. “This is not political revenge. We have bank accounts, we can see. Madam, you can see, the Bidens own a house that a Congressional or Senate salary could not afford. You also understand, this is for family members to “It’s not normal to receive millions of dollars from overseas interests.”
Perry continued to speculate on alleged wrongdoing by Biden and his family, claiming without evidence that the president’s finances “suggested” a series of criminal conduct.
“These things are not normal,” Perry said. “It suggests not just widespread corruption, but money laundering, if not influence peddling itself… If you can’t see that, if you’re that blind…”
The reporter responded, “The American people don’t see that, they think it’s political revenge.” Perry retorted: “That’s because you don’t report it!”
“If you can’t see! If you’re so blind!” — Rep. Scott Perry, who got really angry when a reporter asked him what actual evidence the Republicans had against Biden (he never cited it evidence!) pic.twitter.com/pqlI7PXcgR
—Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 12, 2023
Jay Ostrich, Perry’s press secretary, said in response to a request for comment and information about Biden’s criminal evidence. Weekly newspaper The MP’s remarks were “on point” and “you really have to be blind, not paying attention, or suffering from severe cognitive dissonance” to disagree with the existence of “overwhelming evidence”.
“Since January, House Republicans have uncovered substantial evidence that President Biden blatantly and intentionally lied to the American people about his knowledge of and participation in his family’s influence peddling scheme,” Ostrich said.
He added: “That reporter must have missed that bank records, suspicious activity reports, emails, text messages and witness testimony all show that Biden allowed his family to market him as a ‘brand’ around the world.”
The Freedom Caucus held a press conference to discuss the group’s decision to no longer support funding the government after September 30 unless a series of conservative policy demands are met.
It’s doubtful the Biden impeachment inquiry would have moved forward if McCarthy had brought the matter to a vote.
Some Republicans — notably Rep. Ken Buck, a member of the Freedom Caucus — have resisted or expressed skepticism about launching an investigation due to a lack of evidence.
In a statement emailed to Weekly newspaperWhite House spokesman Ian Sams said, “House Republicans have been investigating the president for nine months and have found no evidence of wrongdoing.”
“[McCarthy’s] Members of his own Republican Party have said as much,” Sams continued. “He vowed to hold a vote to initiate impeachment, but now he’s failed because he didn’t have the support. This is extreme politics at its worst. “
The investigation was launched after Trump was impeached twice by the then-Democrat-controlled House of Representatives and pleaded not guilty to 91 felony charges in four separate criminal complaints. Trump and Biden are the leading Republican and Democratic candidates in the 2024 presidential race, respectively.
Update 9/12/23 at 7:16pm ET: This article has been updated to include a statement from Perry’s press secretary Ostrich.
