Shutdown's shadow, Biden's speech and arguing the case: Takeaways from the House impeachment hearing

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans on Thursday are holding the first hearing of their impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden and their effort to tie the him to the business dealings to his son Hunter.

It’s a high-stakes opening act for Republicans as they begin a process that can lead to the ultimate penalty for a president, punishment for what the Constitution describes as “high crimes and misdemeanors.”

Rep. James Comer, chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, said the committee had “uncovered a mountain of evidence” that he said would show how the Democratic president abused his power and repeatedly lied about a “wall” between his political position and his son’s private business dealings. “There was no wall,” Comer said.

“This is a tale as old as time. Politician takes action that makes money for his family and then he tries to conceal it,” said Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

Republicans have been investigating Hunter Biden for years, since his father was vice president. While questions have arisen about the ethics surrounding the Biden family’s international business, no evidence has emerged so far to prove that Joe Biden, in his current or previous office, abused his role or accepted bribes.

But the hearing was not full of back-and-forth on questions about evidence because no one under oath was a witness to or directly involved in any of the allegations.

House lawmakers are facing a resistance in the Senate from Republicans who are worried about the political ramifications of another impeachment and who say Biden’s conviction and removal from office is a near impossibility.

Some takeaways from the...