Thursday morning marked the first official House committee hearing on the impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden. But on the network morning news shows, CBS Mornings refused to preview it while ABC’s Good Morning America lost its mind about the inquiry occurring “absent evidence,” of Biden wrongdoing with no “direct, concrete evidence” and “[n]o bank account, money transfer, overt act” tying Joe to his son’s life of ruin.
ABC co-host and former Clinton official George Stephanopoulos was apoplectic in a tease: “Just moments away, House Republicans holding their first impeachment inquiry into President Biden despite no evidence of impeachable offenses.”
After the initial wave of GOP debate coverage and Army Private Travis King returning to U.S. soil, senior national correspondent Terry Moran took his turn to spin for the Biden regime, huffing that “the Republican drive to impeach Joe Biden will begin in earnest officially” and will be “a solemn moment, but there is a problem.”
The problem, Moran explained, was that “[f]or months, Republicans have been digging, looking for direct, concrete evidence to back up those allegations,” but “they haven’t found any.”
“No — no bank account, money transfer, overt act that would show the link between Hunter Biden’s business dealings — corruptly — and Joe Biden’s personal accounts. Ne — nevertheless, they’re going to move forward,” he added.
Moran continued to spin, bragging about a “lack of connection” on investigating the Biden family inside the GOP given “there are a group of about a dozen — couple a dozen Republicans who have broken ranks” and “don’t support this effort”.
“Nevertheless, they will proceed,” he huffed.
After he closed by lamenting “partisan fireworks” are “certain,” Stephanopoulos angrily replied before moving on: “No question about that. But, of course, this is unprecedented. The first time we’ve ever had an impeachment inquiry absent evidence.”
Earth to Terry and George: Here’s some evidence. Then again, it still wouldn’t occur to them if it had knocked them off their feet like an avalanche.
NBC’s Today only gave the impeachment inquiry hearing a partial segment (44 seconds) tacked onto a discussion between co-host Savannah Guthrie and Capitol Hill correspondent Ryan Nobles about the looming government shutdown.
“Meanwhile, the House Republicans are still planning on doing their first hearing in their impeachment inquiry of President Biden. What do you expect there,” Guthrie asked.
Nobles explained the hearing will have “three expert witness” that “Republicans...invited...to piece together the information that the three committees investigating the President's family have collected with the goal of attempting to try and establish a link between Hunter Biden's foreign business dealings and the President himself.”
Like Moran and Stephanopoulos, Nobles told viewers there’s nothing to see here: “But, at this point, they've really yet to uncover that smoking gun that specifically makes that connection.”
Before tossing back to Guthrie, Nobles made only a vague allusion to the latest Biden bombshell: “Republicans are hoping, though, a new trove of documents released yesterday by the Ways and Means Committee will help to establish that link.”
What, Ryan, was in that “new trove of documents”? It might have been pertinent to mention it said Hunter Biden received $250,000 from Chinese business partners, but the address listed wasn’t his California residence. Instead, he asked it be sent to his father’s house in Wilmington.
To see the relevant transcripts from September 28, click “expand.”
ABC’s Good Morning America
September 28, 2023
7:01 a.m. Eastern [TEASE][ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Biden Impeachment Inquiry; First Hearing This Morning]
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Just moments away, House Republicans holding their first impeachment inquiry into President Biden despite no evidence of impeachable offenses. What’s at stake? We’re live inside the hearing room.
(....)
7:10 a.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Happening Now; House Launches Biden Impeachment Inquiry; First Hearing Set for This Morning]
MICHAEL STRAHAN: We’re going to go to Washington and House Republicans holding the first hearing in their impeachment inquiry into President Biden this morning. Senior national correspondent Terry Moran is tracking this on Capitol Hill. Good morning, Terry.
TERRY MORAN: Good morning, Michael. This morning at 10 a.m. in this hearing room at the House Oversight Committee, the Republican drive to impeach Joe Biden will begin in earnest officially. 47 members here, 26 Republicans, 21 Democrats are going to consider the question of whether Biden accepted bribes or abused his public office in connection with his son Hunter Biden’s business dealings. It is a solemn moment, but there is a problem.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Happening Now; House Launches Biden Impeachment Inquiry; Hearings to Focus on Alleged Corruption & Abuse of Office]
For months, Republicans have been digging, looking for direct, concrete evidence to back up those allegations. And to date, they haven’t found any. No — no bank account, money transfer, overt act that would show the link between Hunter Biden’s business dealings — corruptly — and Joe Biden’s personal accounts. Ne — nevertheless, they’re going to move forward, but the problem for Republicans given that lack of connection there is that there are a group of about a dozen — couple a dozen Republicans who have broken ranks. They don’t support this effort to impeach Joe Biden at this time. Nevertheless, they will proceed. So, when they gavel in the hearing — Chairman James Comer gavels in the hearing, they’ll hear from three witnesses today. They’ll hear from a constitutional law professor, a forensic accountant, and former Justice Department official. And they will basically lay out the theory of the case why Republicans think that they have the evidence to move forward with an impeachment based on corruption — basically — corruption charges against the President. One thing you can expect for certain given this committee and this issue, partisan fireworks. George?
STEPHANOPOULOS: No question about that. But, of course, this is unprecedented. The first time we’ve ever had an impeachment inquiry absent evidence. Terry Moran, thanks very much.
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NBC’s Today
September 28, 2023
7:09 a.m. EasternSAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Meanwhile, the House Republicans are still planning on doing their first hearing in their impeachment inquiry of President Biden. What do you expect there?
RYAN NOBLES: Yeah. That's right. It's going to happen this morning and, in today's hearing, Republicans have invited three expert witness whose job it will be to piece together the information that the three committees investigating the President's family have collected with the goal of attempting to try and establish a link between Hunter Biden's foreign business dealings and the President himself. But, at this point, they've really yet to uncover that smoking gun that specifically makes that connection. Republicans are hoping, though, a new trove of documents released yesterday by the Ways and Means Committee will help to establish that link. It's important to point out the President has said repeatedly that he played no role in his son's businesses.
