Impeachment inquiry hearing against Joe Biden begins

The Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives held its first hearing on Thursday in its impeachment inquiry against Democratic President Joe Biden.

Republican legislators opened the first hearing of their impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, promising to delve into allegations of corruption against the Biden family as a government shutdown looms.

The Republican chair of the panel, James Comer, said the probe so far “has uncovered a mountain of evidence revealing how Joe Biden has used his public office for his family’s financial gain”.

The hearing is not expected to reveal new information about Biden's financial ties to his troubled son Hunter Biden, 53, who pursued a range of international business ventures while struggling with drug and alcohol addiction.

“For years, President Biden has lied to the American people about his knowledge of and participation in his family’s corrupt business schemes,” said Comer, referencing allegations that largely centre of the foreign business dealings of Biden’s son, Hunter.

Republicans have sought an investigation into the Biden family’s affairs since the party took control of the House of Representatives at the beginning of the year, but Democrats have slammed the impeachment push as politically motivated and baseless.