The CIA denied on Thursday the claims of a whistleblower that the agency attempted to obstruct a federal probe against President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, dealing a setback to House Republicans’ impeachment investigation into the president.
In March, the chairs of the House Oversight Committee, James Comer, R-Ky., and the House Judiciary Committee, Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, wrote to the CIA claiming that they had received information from a whistleblower that the agency had prevented IRS and Department of Justice investigators from speaking with a supporter of Hunter Biden.
In a letter acquired and delivered to the chairs on Thursday, the CIA referred to the accusation as “false.”
“Without confirming or denying the existence of any associations for communications, CIA did not prevent or seek to prevent IRS or DOJ from conducting any such interview. The allegation is false,” James Catella, director of congressional affairs at the CIA, wrote.
The CIA’s response is yet another blow to House Republicans’ extensive investigation into Joe Biden’s impeachment, as the probe’s legitimacy is called into doubt.
A secret FBI source that the Republican Party frequently cited throughout the probe was accused of lying to the FBI in February on a purported corruption plot involving Joe and Hunter Biden. Prosecutors claim that the informant, Alexander Smirnov, allegedly mentioned having “extensive foreign ties.”
Republicans in the House support the claims made by the whistleblower. The House Judiciary Committee’s Russell Dye stated in a statement that “the allegation is not false.” The same was stated by a representative for the House Oversight Committee.
Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, urged Comer to grant Democrats access to the new whistleblower’s claims in a letter that was addressed to him on Friday morning.
Raskin stated in the letter that Comer “creates the unavoidable implication that this information… cannot withstand even the most cursory scrutiny by the committee’s Democratic members” since he would not let Democrats interview the whistleblower.
Raskin further mentioned that in January, the whistleblower claimed that the DOJ and IRS had prevented Kevin Morris from being interrogated, a witness who had already admitted to working with law enforcement. Investigators were also informed by an IRS agent that Morris may be interviewed.
Joe Biden is the subject of an impeachment investigation by House Republicans due to claims that he profited personally from his family’s international business dealings. The president has not yet been directly implicated by any evidence found by investigators.
GOP members have voiced questions about whether House Republicans will act to impeach the president without strong proof as the investigation continues to face setback after setback.
Because of this, Comer has been looking for ways to get out of the investigation once it is over and has hinted that he may report criminal cases to the DOJ for potential follow-up by a future Donald Trump administration.
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