The House Oversight Committee on Wednesday demanded that the National Archives release records related to President Biden’s foreign travel on Air Force Two and Marine Two during the Obama administration, as it investigates his “role in his family’s foreign business ventures and that he may have used his office to enrich his family,” according to a letter sent by Chairman James Comer to the archivist of the United States, Colleen Shogan. In the letter, Mr. Comer is asking for all documents or communications relating to “certain Biden family members and associates” and relating to “Air Force Two or Marine Two” in the eight years of President Obama’s two terms.Mr. Comer’s document request is the latest salvo in his committee’s long-running investigation into Mr. Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, and allegations leveled by Mr. Comer that the senior Mr. Biden engaged in corrupt activities. Mr. Biden has denied the allegations made by Republicans. They have pointed to statements from the younger Mr. Biden’s former business partner, Devon Archer, who said Mr. Biden would call his father during meetings with foreign entities, but their exchanges were “not related to commercial business.” Archer also testified that the former vice president had dinner with his son’s foreign business associates at the Cafe Milano at Washington, D.C., but didn’t recall the details of their conversation. In Wednesday’s letter, Mr. Comer is asking for every manifest on either Air Force Two or Marine Two during those eight years of Mr. Biden’s vice presidency that pertains to any member of Mr. Biden’s family or associate and every single document relating to any security incident during those eight years.“The Committee is concerned that foreign nationals have sought access and influence by engaging in lucrative business relationships with high-profile political figures’ immediate family members, including members of the Biden family,” the letter reads.In a statement accompanying the letter, the committee also alleges that the younger Mr. Biden “would regularly schedule business meetings while traveling abroad” with his father.Archer’s statement to the committee described how the younger Mr. Biden would use his famous family name to give foreign businessmen “the impression that he had any influence over U.S. policy,” according to a transcript of Archer’s statement. The letter comes as Speaker McCarthy faces growing pressure from conservatives in his conference to launch an impeachment inquiry into the senior Mr. Biden, but is not believed to have the 218 votes needed were he to seek Congress’s authorization. Some House Republicans are reportedly not convinced that GOP investigators have evidence to back up their numerous allegations against the president. Mr. McCarthy, though, does not need a House vote of approval to launch an impeachment inquiry, and Politico reports he’s leaning toward that option.President Trump, who is facing multiple legal battles of his own, publicly pressured Mr. McCarthy and House Republicans to pursue impeachment in a post on Truth Social. “You don’t need a long INQUIRY to prove it, it’s already proven. Either IMPEACH the BUM, or fade into OBLIVION,” Mr. Trump said. “THEY DID IT TO US.”In a Politico report, one senior GOP staffer said, “How can you start impeachment? We haven’t done what you need to do to start impeachment,” adding, “We haven’t proven the case for impeachment yet.”In a report by CNN Monday, one GOP lawmaker, speaking anonymously, said, “There’s no evidence that Joe Biden got money, or that Joe Biden, you know, agreed to do something so that Hunter could get money.”The Oversight Committee’s investigation into the younger Mr. Biden is running in concert with parallel investigations by the Judiciary Committee and the Committee on Ways and Means.On Tuesday, the Judiciary Committee chairman, Jim Jordan, received a letter from the Department of Justice notifying him that his recent subpoenas of two FBI agents “lack legal effect and cannot be constitutionally enforced.”Mr. Jordan had sought to subpoena the agents, who an IRS employee, Gary Shapley, alleges were present in an October 2022 meeting with Special Counsel David Weiss, where he supposedly told investigators that he was not the “deciding person whether charges are filed.” Mr. Weiss has maintained he always had full authority, and Attorney General Garland has denied any interference in the work of Mr. Weiss, whom he recently elevated to special counsel in the Hunter Biden matter.In its letter on Tuesday refusing to enforce Mr. Jordan’s subpoenas, the Department of Justice went on to say that “any testimony at this early juncture must be appropriately limited to protect the ongoing matter and important confidentiality interests.”Mr. Jordan also requested records concerning a visit of a justice department attorney, Jay Bratt, to the White House. Mr. Bratt joined Special Counsel Jack Smith’s team in November 2022 and has visited the White House three times since.The House Oversight and Judiciary committees and the Department of Justice did not immediately reply to requests for comment.
