James Biden tells GOP lawmakers that Joe Biden had no involvement in the family’s business dealings

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden “never had any involvement” in the business dealings of other members of his family, his brother James Biden testified Wednesday as he appeared for a voluntary private interview on Capitol Hill as part of House Republicans’ impeachment inquiry.

“I have had a 50-year career in a variety of business ventures. Joe Biden has never had any involvement or any direct or indirect financial interest in those activities,” the president’s younger brother said in a 10-page opening statement to lawmakers obtained by The Associated Press. “None.”

Republican lawmakers in the ongoing five-plus hour interview came out and told reporters, without citing details, that James Biden’s responses so far have contradicted his opening statement and that he has made efforts to avoid directly answering investigators’ questions.

“He has said a lot of things that have contradicted himself in that testimony,” Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., said during an afternoon break from questioning. “So when you see the transcript, you’ll see.”

The interview with James Biden is the latest in a series that GOP lawmakers have conducted recently as they seek to rebuild momentum for an impeachment process surrounding the Biden family’s overseas finances that has stalled in recent months.

Criticism over the lack of evidence against the president has grown even among Republicans. Many GOP lawmakers say they have yet to see evidence of the “high crimes and misdemeanors” required for impeachment, despite alleged efforts by members of the Biden family to leverage the last name into corporate paydays domestically and abroad.