House Speaker Kevin McCarthy went viral Thursday after he launched an attack in response to an Associated Press reporter’s skeptical questions about the Biden impeachment investigation.
McCarthy (R-Calif.) ignited an investigation into the extent of President Biden’s role in his son and brother’s foreign business dealings Tuesday, when the House of Representatives returns to Washington after a six-week August recess.
Two days later, AP’s Farnoush Amiri asked about a statement by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) that he sees no evidence of impeachable wrongdoing by Biden “at this point.”
“Is that an assessment you share?” he asked.
“You know, an impeachment inquiry is not an impeachment,” McCarthy replied. “What the impeachment inquiry needs to do is to get answers to questions.”
The speaker then turned the tables on Amiri.
“Do you care about all the things you just learned? Do you have any concerns?” McCarthy asked reporters. “Did you ask the White House any questions?”
“Yes,” replied Amiri.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy defended his decision to launch an impeachment inquiry against President Biden on Thursday. AP
“OK,” said McCarthy. “Do you agree that, do you believe the president lied to the American public when he said he never talked to his son about business matters? Yes or no, it doesn’t matter.”
“I can’t answer that,” Amiri said.
“Can’t you answer? Do you believe when they say the president has a conference call? Do you believe that happened?” McCarthy asked.
“That’s what the evidence says,” the reporter replied, referring to a statement by Hunter Biden’s former business partner, Devon Archer.
“OK, would you believe the president went to Café Milano and had dinner with client Hunter Biden, who believed he got the client because he sold ‘the brand’?,” McCarthy added.
AP reporter Farnoush Amiri asked McCarthy about his fellow Republicans’ assessment that there is still no impeachable evidence against the president. AP image
“That’s what the testimony says,” repeated the reporter.
“OK, would you believe Hunter Biden, when you saw the video of him driving the Porsche, that he got $143,000 to buy that Porsche the next day?” McCarthy asked. “Would you believe that $3 million from Russian oligarchs was transferred to a shell company that the Bidens controlled after dinner from Café Milano happened?
After Amiri confirmed the existence of evidence to that effect, McCarthy said: “Okay, then I’ll be back. Do you think the president lied that he -“
Biden is accused of helping his son secure foreign business deals while serving as vice president. AP
“But is lying a reprehensible offence?” Amiri asked.
“I’m not saying sacking,” McCarthy replied. “What I am saying is that I want to know the answers to these questions. The American public wants to know.”
GOP operative Arthur Schwartz shared the exchange between Amiri and McCarthy on X, formerly known as Twitterslammed the reporter for framing his initial question to McCarthy.
“You understand that testimony is evidence, right? So, which is it, are you stupid or dishonest,” Schwartz tweeted.
The AP reported that the McCarthy impeachment inquiry was launched “without evidence.” It was McCarthy who forced an AP reporter to admit that there was plenty of evidence to support the impeachment inquiry. pic.twitter.com/lgzU1BNNlE
— Arthur Schwartz (@ArthurSchwartz) September 14, 2023
GOP operative Arthur Schwartz shared a video of the exchange, slamming the reporter for framing his initial question.
“’Is lying a blameless offense,’” audience contributing editor Stephen L. Miller posted on X. “Oh you sweet summer child…”
A Twitter user named Dave Marney praised McCarthy for standing firm and challenging the reporter.
“Yes, this is how you do it, just be calm and respectful, get the facts, and then challenge them to say whether they accept the facts, or not,” Marney tweeted.
McCarthy said the impeachment inquiry would investigate key allegations against the president and see if he lied to the American people. AP
The Associated Press said in a statement that it stood behind Amiri, “an established and respected journalist who covers the US Congress.”
Biden has dismissed the investigation into him, claiming during a campaign speech in Virginia that Republicans were only targeting him in hopes of shutting down the government.
While the impeachment inquiry does not necessarily mean Biden will be impeached, articles of impeachment are expected to be drafted and considered later this year or early next year.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
