WASHINGTON —House Republicans launched a formal impeachment hearing Thursday against President Joe Biden, saying they intend to “provide accountability” as they make their case to the public, their colleagues and skeptics in the Senate.
Near the end of the morning session, Kansas second district Representative Jake LaTurner finally had his turn to make a statement.
(click below to watch Rep. LaTurner during the hearing)
"The mischaracterization of what this hearing is about by my colleagues on the other side is astounding," LaTurner said.
"Throughout the Presidency of Joe Biden, the White House has attempted to claim that the President did not talk to his son Hunter about his business dealings. Joe Biden even said during a 2020 presidential debate that no members of his family received money from China."
"Joe Biden said and I quote, "My son has not made money in terms of this thing about China. Nobody else has made money from China."
"The White House strategy has been to deny, deny and deny, lie and then counter attack," LaTurner continued. "The evidence and facts have forced the White House to change its story time and time again."
"The White House handlers continue to shift the goal posts and President Biden continues to lie. How can President Bident continue to maintain that Hunter's private business was simply that, private?"
"It's clear from bank records, emails and text messages and testimony that Joe Biden was intimately involved in Hunter's pay to play scheme and crooked foreign business dealings."
"This image shows an email between Hunter Biden and his business associates stating the setup of equity in a Chinese owned energy venture. This particular business deal was with a Chinese owned energy conglomerate and lays out the payment structure for equity in the company which was known to be tied to the Chinese Communist Party through its owner chairman."
"The committee's investigation into the Biden family including evidence turned over through various document production has shown that these men including Tony Bobolinski were all in business with Hunter Biden at one time or another."
"Bobolinski, Rob Walker and other Hunter business partrners have confirmed what this email said. They were all getting a cut. Who else was getting a cut? According to this email 10 percent was going to the Big Guy. What I'm sure my colleagues on the other side are asking themselves, who is the Big Guy?"
"Well let me tell you," LaTurner continued. "We learned in the FBI's 1023 that Joe Biden was referred to as the Big Guy. Tony Bobolinski has also confirmed Joe Biden is the Big Guy. Rob Walker and IRS whistle blowers confirmed that Joe Biden is the Big Guy. And finally, the Justice Department obstructed investigators in Delaware wanted to look into the Big Guy."
"Listen folks, it is obvious Joe Biden is the Big Guy. And so, what do we have here? The President is saying that he had nothing to do with it. That Hunter Biden did not profit from China and the Big Guy was getting 10 percent."
"Let me read for you the definition of a trendy word here lately. Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation in which an abuse attempts to gain power and control over the other person by distorting reality and forcing them to question their own judgement and intuition."
"I would say to the American people. Look at the evidence before you and make a judgement and do not allow the White House or our colleagues on the other side to try to convince you that what you are seeing isn't the truth and to convince you that you are crazy."