Congressional Republicans «absolutely should» impeach President Joe Biden over whistleblower allegations that there was improper meddling in the investigation of his son, Hunter Biden, Nikki Haley said Friday.
«Somebody’s got to do it,» said Haley, who is running for the Republican nomination for president, when asked if the allegations warranted impeachment on «Gutfeld!» from Fox News host Greg Gutfeld.
The comments by Haley, a former South Carolina governor and ambassador to the United Nations, came as House Republicans seek to question Justice Department and IRS officials about whistleblower allegations that there was interference in an investigation. about Biden’s son.
The chairs of the House Ways and Means and Oversight committees are seeking interviews with more than a dozen officials involved in the investigation of tax-related misdemeanors allegedly committed by Hunter Biden.
Asked why congressional Republicans can’t start the impeachment process now, Haley said, «Well, they absolutely should.»
“If the Justice Department isn’t going to do it, Congress should. But someone has to do it. It stinks all day,” he said, claiming that one of the IRS whistleblowers who made the allegations was “really legit.”
«You’re not talking about a guy who showed up and decided to say something,» Haley said.
Gary Shapley, a supervisory special agent for IRS criminal investigations who has worked for the agency since 2009, testified before the House Ways and Means Committee in May, and the committee made the transcript available earlier this month.
Among Shapley’s allegations is that David Weiss, the US attorney for Delaware, sought authority to indict Hunter Biden on broader charges in Washington, DC and California, but US attorneys in those districts failed to do so.
The Justice Department has denied the allegations. “As both the Attorney General and US Attorney David Weiss have said, US Attorney Weiss has full authority on this matter, including the responsibility to decide where, when and whether to bring charges as he sees fit. He doesn’t need further approval to do it,” said Wyn Hornbuckle, deputy director of the Justice Department’s Office of Public Affairs.
Shapley also alleged to the committee that, as an IRS investigator, he obtained messages Hunter Biden sent on the WhatsApp platform, including one he read demanding payment from a Chinese businessman named Henry Zhao. In the message, Biden seemed to suggest that he was sitting with his father, then a former vice president, saying, “I will make sure that between the man sitting next to me and everyone he knows and my ability to hold a grudge forever, you regret not following my instructions.”
Biden has denied any involvement. with the text message.
Thursday, haley said, “All we are asking for is justice. What if Trump did something wrong? Good. Let’s see it. Let’s see what happens. He has a jury. He can defend himself. If Biden did something wrong, that’s fine, but we have to look into it. They have to.
Hunter Biden has agreed to plead guilty to two federal misdemeanors for willful failure to pay federal income taxes, according to a court filing. He also faces a separate weapons possession charge that will likely be dismissed if he meets certain conditions, according to court documents.
His plea hearing is scheduled for July 26. Two sources familiar with the plea agreement for the tax violations have said it includes a provision in which the US attorney agreed to recommend probation.
Republicans have criticized the deal as a «love deal.»