Biden impeachment hearing begins

WASHINGTON — US House Republicans launched a formal impeachment hearing on Thursday against President Joe Biden, promising to "provide accountability" as they probe the family finances and lucrative business dealings of his son Hunter and make their case to the public, colleagues and a skeptical Senate.

The chairmen of the Oversight, Judiciary, and Ways and Means committees used the opening hearing to review the constitutional and legal questions involved with impeachment. They are trying to show what they say are links to Biden's son Hunter Biden's overseas businesses, though key witnesses said they do not yet see hard evidence of impeachable offenses.

Republican James Comer, the Oversight Committee chairman, said the lawmakers have "a mountain of evidence" that will show that the elder Biden "abused his public office for his family's financial gain".