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As a part of the Area Republicans’ campaign in opposition to President Joe Biden, the Area Oversight Committee closing week sat down with Kevin Morris, a chum and legal professional to Hunter Biden, who loaned him cash to lend a hand pay his tax expenses. It wasn’t altogether transparent why the GOP-led panel sought Morris’ testimony, however let’s put that apart for now.
As a substitute, let’s believe what took place after the behind-closed-doors Q&A.
Consistent with Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer’s model of occasions, Morris equipped investigators with solutions that helped advance the Republicans’ efforts. Consistent with Morris’ legal professional, Bryan Sullivan, Comer’s overview used to be in accordance with “cherry‐picked, out of context, and totally misleading descriptions of what Mr. Morris said.”
White Area spokesperson Ian Sams replied quickly after that Comer seemed to had been stuck “blatantly lying,” whilst the committee chairman’s place of work informed newshounds that Comer’s claims would sooner or later be corroborated.
So, which is it? Did the Kentucky Republican get stuck looking to lie to the general public once more, or did Comer in spite of everything inform the reality?
Once we mentioned this a few days in the past, I left open the chance of the latter. It gave the impression not likely, after all, given Comer’s monitor file, however the transcript remained below wraps, and I used to be reluctant to reflexively think that the GOP congressman used to be once more enjoying a misleading recreation. Possibly the committee used to be proper, and the proof would substantiate the chairman’s claims.
Or possibly no longer. The Washington Submit’s Philip Bump learn the transcript and arrived on the predictable conclusion.
On Tuesday, the transcript used to be made public. And Sullivan’s complaint of Comer used to be very a lot proved to be warranted. ... [Morris] used to be deposed and his testimony used to be reshaped and molded through Comer to look harmful as a result of Comer and Area Republicans are within the addiction of doing that with everybody to whom they talk.
On social media, the Submit’s Bump added that Comer “just makes things up, demonstrably.”
If this had been an remoted incident, and the Oversight Committee chair used to be normally a paragon of accuracy, it could be more uncomplicated to omit this sort of misstep, and most likely chalk it as much as sloppy group of workers paintings.
However therein lies the purpose: Comer isn't normally a paragon of accuracy. I’ve misplaced rely of how repeatedly he’s been stuck mischaracterizing closed-door testimony, simplest to get stuck quickly after, even though the Devon Archer instance is arguably essentially the most dramatic.
What continuously is going lost sight of is the unintentional impact of this: If Comer had a compelling case to make in opposition to the president, he wouldn’t must depend on deceptions, for the reason that fact can be enough. The truth, then again, that he and his celebration can’t depend at the fact finally ends up making Biden glance higher, no longer worse — as a result of if there have been compelling proof of the Democrat enticing in wrongdoing, (a) Comer would’ve discovered it; and (b) Republicans wouldn’t must make stuff up.
The result's an investigation that even different Republicans describe as “clueless,” a “disaster,” and a “parade of embarrassments.”
To make sure, I’m aware of the wider dynamic. GOP officers are displeased with Comer, no longer as a result of he’s did not act with integrity, however as a result of he used to be assigned the duty of taking down the president, and he’s confirmed himself inept.
However regardless of the motivations, the Oversight Committee’s anti-Biden campaign is dealing with critics from the left, proper, and middle, and through any honest measure, they’re proper and Comer isn’t.
This submit updates our comparable previous protection.