Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) sparred with Tony Bobulinski, a former business partner of Hunter Biden, at a GOP-led impeachment hearing for President Joe Biden on Wednesday.
Ocasio-Cortez pressed Bobulinski to name a “specific crime” committed by President Biden and when he could not do so she turned her ire to the Republican Party for continuing an investigation despite its key witness being arrested by the FBI for lying to officials about the Bidens.
“I have a quick question. Simple. Is it your testimony today that you personally witnessed President Joe Biden commit a crime?” Ocasio-Cortez began.
“I believe the fact that he was sitting with me while I was putting together,” began Bobulinski as Ocasio-Cortez cut in, “Did you witness the president commit a crime? Is it your testimony today?”
“Yes,” Bobulinski replied.
“And what crime did you have you witness?” Ocasio-Cortez pressed.
“How much time do I have to go through it?” Bobulinski, who became famous for interviews with Tucker Carlson, replied.
“It is simple. You name the crime. Did you watch him steal something?” Ocasio-Cortez added.
“Corruption statutes. RICO,” replied Bobulinski as Ocasio-Cortez interjected, “And what is it specifically? What is the crime, sir, specifically?”
After some additional back and forth, Ocasio-Cortez said, “Sir, I reclaim my time. Clearly what we are seeing here today. Is a continuation of the 15-month saga of the Republican majority lost in the desert. Impeachment 101, the majority party or whomever is raising impeachment, must accuse the president of a high crime, a specific high crime or misdemeanor.”
Ocasio-Cortez then asked to enter into the record the House resolution setting up the impeachment inquiry into Biden.
“This resolution does not outline a high crime or misdemeanor,” she said, holding up the document, adding:
It’s not here. Now, when we compare the chairman’s opening from his previous opening, he’s talking about Ukraine and Burisma and all of this. It is, this entire inquiry is based on a blockbuster piece of information that was in a classified skiff room. And inside that room was a document alleging President Biden directly of a $10 million bribery scheme, a $10 million bribery scheme is extremely serious!
But, what happened? What happened a month ago, Mr. Chairman, that document, the FBI arrested the person who offered those allegations for falsifying his testimony and to the FBI. This entire impeachment inquiry is based on an actual, provable individual who has lied. Now, responsible leadership would withdraw an inquiry based on that. Withdraw it.
Instead. What we are seeing is that this committee was warned about the falsehoods of these allegations long before that, warned by Trump’s Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo.
And yet they proceeded anyway. The chairman proceeded anyway. This committee was warned by a Rudy Giuliani associate right here, Lev Parnas. After that document, about the falsehoods of this, then held hearings where your own expert witnesses said that there was no grounds for impeachment, and you proceeded anyway.
And finally, as if none of this was enough, the FBI arrested the individual who was the source of the entire, to quote the chairman heart of the matter, to launch this impeachment inquiry and proceeded anyway. At this point, the story is not the fact that the basis of this impeachment inquiry is wrong. The story is why it’s proceeding anyway. Why is this committee proceeding based on false charges?
And by the way, no charges. I have yet to hear in the chairman’s opening the allegation that they are specifically charging the president of the United States with. I’m hearing about Biden family. I’m hearing about this and that. I am not hearing the specific allegation. By this committee. What is it? It’s not here. And that is the problem. The story is when this committee knew that they were working with falsified evidence! That’s the story. And with that, I yield back.