James Biden told lawmakers in a closed-door deposition before a House committee on Wednesday that his brother, President Joe Biden, "never had any involvement" in his family's business dealings.
House Republicans Say Responses of James Biden, Brother of Joe Biden, Contradicts His Opening Statement
In a 10-page opening statement acquired by The Associated Press, the president's younger brother told lawmakers and staff from the Oversight and Judiciary Committees that in his 50-year career "in a variety of business ventures," the president "has never had any involvement or any direct or indirect financial interest in those activities... None."
House Republicans had subpoenaed James Brian "Jim" Biden in November to testify as part of their impeachment inquiry into the president, which has focused mainly on business deals made by his son, Hunter Biden, and other members of his family.
James' lawyers have said there was no basis for the subpoena as the committees had already reviewed private bank records and transactions between the two brothers. According to AP, the committees found records of two loans made when Joe Biden was not in office or a presidential candidate.
In his statement, the president's brother said that these checks he wrote to Joe for $200,000 and $40,000 in 2017 and 2018, were personal loans he had repaid.
"I have nothing to hide... With my appearance here today, the committees will have the information to conclude that the negative and destructive assumptions about me and my relationship with my brother Joe are wrong... There is no basis for this inquiry to continue," James noted.
After more than eight hours of being questioned about his business deals by Republicans looking for clear evidence linking official actions taken by Joe as president or vice president to his family's business affairs, James left the session.
House GOP: Brother of Joe Biden, James Biden, Contradicted His Opening Statement
Without citing specific details, House Republicans told reporters during several breaks that James Biden's responses contradicted his opening statement and tried to evade answering the investigators' questions directly.
Andy Biggs, GOP Representative from Arizona, said during a break in the afternoon that James "has said a lot of things that have contradicted himself in that testimony. So when you see the transcript, you'll see."
On the other hand, Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan, when asked if he thought James was lying when he said that his brother was not involved in his business deals, said: "He's certainly said some things that make me wonder if he's... maybe conveniently forgetting something? I don't know, but some of his answers just don't make a whole lot of sense."
A source familiar with the interview told Fox News that James initially said he was not part of a deal with his nephew Hunter Biden and business associates Tony Bobulinski, Rob Walker, and James Gilliar, but when presented with an agreement with his signature on it, he changed his narrative, saying he did not recall signing the contract.
According to Politico, James did not directly refute an increasing barrage of public reporting in recent years that has expanded scrutiny over his business dealings, except a recent Politico report that James emphasized his connection to his brother as part of his lobby to work at Americore, with one its former executive saying James spoke on providing his brother equity in the firm.
He told congressional investigators in his opening statement that his brother "played no role, was not involved with, and received no benefits" from his work with Americore.
The president's brother also said that in each business venture, he has relied on his "own talent, judgment, skill, and personal relationships - and never my status as Joe Biden's brother."
"Those who have said or thought otherwise were either mistaken, ill informed, or flat-out lying," he added.
Since the impeachment inquiry started in September under the House Judiciary and Oversight committees, there is no evidence yet of any wrongdoing by the president. Joe Biden, his son, Hunter, and the White House have also maintained that the president was not involved in the family's business dealings.
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