Speaker Johnson Backs Biden Impeachment Inquiry

House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana backed his Republican colleagues' impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden and his family's business dealings on Wednesday.

The reiteration of his support for the inquiry follows a report that he privately told others he did not believe there was enough evidence yet to follow through with official impeachment proceedings.

While his statement this week stopped short of calling for the proceedings to be initiated immediately, it signaled that the speaker was supportive of the way Republican committee chairs were handling it.

"Our impeachment inquiry has already shown the corrupt conduct of the president's family, and that he and White House officials have repeatedly lied about his knowledge and involvement in his family's business activities," Johnson said in a direct refutation of the report.

"It has also exposed the tens of millions of dollars from foreign adversaries being paid to shell companies controlled by the president's son, brother, and their business associates," he added.

Johnson then thanked GOP Reps. James Comer of Kentucky, head of the Oversight Committee; Jim Jordan of Ohio, head of the Judiciary Committee; and Jason Smith of Missouri, head of the Ways and Means Committee.

The next step, the speaker explained, was "to place key witnesses under oath and question them under the penalty of perjury, to fill gaps in the record."

Comer has already subpoenaed a slate of witnesses, including President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden; his brother, James Biden; and five other business associates of the family.

White House spokesman Ian Sams responded to Johnson's statement on X, posting screenshots of articles fact-checking claims from House Republicans leading the impeachment inquiry.

"These Extreme House Republicans must be relieved that they aren't under penalty of perjury themselves," Sams posted.