House GOP demands Treasury testimony to accelerate probe into Biden family businesses
WASHINGTON – House Republicans are looking to move forward with their investigation into the business dealings of President Joe Biden's family by requesting testimony from the Treasury Department after the federal agency failed to provide documents by the committee's deadline.
It's been over one month since the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability requested the records.
The committee claims the Treasury Department is obstructing their investigation by missing the Jan. 25 deadline it imposed, and is "acting in bad faith" by delaying production of the reports and providing no timeframe on when they will be provided.
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In a Feb. 24 letter to Isabella More, the Department of Treasury's deputy assistant secretary for Oversight, House Oversight Chair James Comer, R-Ky., requested an agency representative testify before the committee on March 10. The hearing will examine the reasons the department provided as to why the documents requested have not been produced.
What has been Treasury's response?
According to Comer's letter, the Treasury Department has provided no timeframe on when documents will be produced and told the committee: "Treasury must confer with law enforcement partners, who may identify particular law enforcement conflicts or sensitivities... [T]his entire process takes considerable time to complete."
"While we cannot provide a firm timetable, we do hope to have additional information for you soon," the department wrote to lawmakers in an email message from Feb. 23 that the committee shared in its Feb. 24 letter to More.
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What are the reports the committee requested?
House Republicans requested "Suspicious Activity Reports" generated from Biden's family members on foreign or high-dollar transactions.
The reports are flagged by financial institutions to a network that falls under the Treasury Department, according to the letter.
Republicans, who were in the minority in the House last Congress, requested the same documents from the Treasury Department in 2022 and did not receive the reports.
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What is the committee investigating?
Republicans are using their majority in the House to investigate the president through the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability which launched the Biden family investigation earlier this year.
The probe will focus on the business dealings of the president's family members and associates, including those of his son Hunter Biden, a frequent target for investigations among the GOP.
Comer earlier this month requested additional documents related to communications with intelligence agencies, travel and financial records from from Hunter Biden, Biden's brother and their business associate.