by Republican Representative James Comer suggested on a right-wing podcast earlier this week that President Joe Biden’s late son, Beau Biden, should have been investigated in connection with a long-settled “campaign donation” case from a lender who was eventually charged.
The suggestion from the newly appointed House Oversight Committee chair did not go down well with White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who called the comments “ugly” and “inappropriate.”
“This American attorney had a chance years ago to go after the Bidens,” Comer said on former Fox Business host Lou Dobbs’ podcast. The senior House Republican then continued, “In fact, it was Beau Biden, the other son of the president, who was involved in some of the campaign donations from a person who was indicted, and Joe Biden was also involved in some of these campaign donations. when he was a senator, and then when he ran for president against Obama.”
Comer’s attempted dig at Beau Biden stems from a 2012 case in which the president’s son, then Delaware’s attorney general, backed down. The investigation in question focused on a Joe Biden campaign donor who “illegally funneled contributions” to Biden’s campaign operation, according to The Washington Post.
“But nothing ever happened. So I don’t know much about this US attorney, except he’s had a chance to investigate the Bidens before, and he chose not to,” Comer added. “We all know he’s just been quiet for a long time.”
On Wednesday afternoon, in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room, Jean-Pierre addressed The Daily Beast’s question about Comer invoking the president’s now-deceased son.
“It is completely inappropriate. It’s ugly, the comments he made. It says a lot about the chairman, who is not good by the way,” said Jean-Pierre from the podium. “To make the statement he did is incredibly ugly and inappropriate.”
“Instead of the House Republicans focusing on attacking the president and his family, why don’t they focus on what the American people have put them in office, which is delivering something for them,” she continued.
The White House press secretary decided to attack House Republicans for their focus on “political stunts.”
Earlier in the day, White House communications director Kate Bedingfield also said on MSNBC that Coomer’s comments were “appalling.”
“It’s despicable. And frankly, it says quite a lot — nothing good — about Jim Comer,” Bedingfield said.
Read more at The Daily Beast.
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