The Republican witnesses’ testimony appeared to hurt more than help as frustration set in in the chamber
The House Oversight Committee’s first hearing for the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden got off to a rocky start Thursday as the Republican witnesses’ testimony appeared to hurt the committee more than help and frustration set in in the chamber.
In his written testimony to the committee, Jonathan Turley, a George Washington University Law School professor pulled by Republicans as a key witness for the hearing, called into question the evidence Republicans have claimed to gather against Biden, who they allege benefitted from his son, Hunter Biden’s, overseas business dealings during his vice presidency.
He reiterated this statement during the hearing, testifying to the committee that he, in fact, does not “believe that the current evidence would support articles of impeachment.”
George Washington University law professor and Republican witness Jonathan Turley says that if a vote to impeach President Joe Biden happened today, he would vote "no" due to lack of evidence: "At the moment, these are just allegations." pic.twitter.com/CdC553i2Am
— CSPAN (@cspan) September 28, 2023
Just as Turley declined to provide any evidence to the committee, the other Republican witnesses did not either, as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., established during the hearing.
AOC: Mr. Turley, simple question for you. In your testimony today, are you presenting any first-hand witness account of crimes committed by the president of the United States?
— Acyn (@Acyn) September 28, 2023
Turley: No, I'm not. pic.twitter.com/nuevF8Nn7N
“I shouldn’t have asked Turley a question,” Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert reportedlycomplained to an aide on Thursday. “He was a crappy witness.”
Law professor Michael Gerhardt recites Rep. Jim Jordan's (R-OH) reasons for the impeachment inquiry and refutes them, saying they are not grounds for impeachment. pic.twitter.com/5VefgY8Ylk
— CSPAN (@cspan) September 28, 2023