During impeachment proceedings this Thursday that House Republicans convened to target President Joe Biden, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) called out fellow member of the House Oversight Committee Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) for using a “fabricated” image of a text conversation that omitted key context.
The original discussion, between the president’s brother James and the president’s son Hunter, shows James Biden appearing to suggest he could link up with Joe Biden in some kind of arrangement… which the full context shows was apparently just about helping Hunter Biden solve his personal problems. Donalds, though, didn’t include that part, instead insinuating that the comments from James suggested an approach that could shield the now president from later scrutiny over suspected ties to Hunter’s business dealings. These Republicans have yet to produce specific evidence beyond vague insinuations and leaps of so-called logic, which they’re using to fuel this crusade.
“That screenshot of what appeared to be a text message was a fabricated image,” Ocasio-Cortez said during the hearing. “It was a fabricated image. I don’t know where it came from. I don’t know if it was the staff of the committee. But it was not the actual, direct screenshot from that phone.”
Ocasio-Cortez then pointed out that none of the witnesses at the hearing were actual witnesses of some of the key, material facts that are ostensibly driving Republicans’ claimed concerns about the president. “And so we are wasting our time,” she said, after she teed up one of those appearing for questioning to note that none of those seated before the Congressional members were those firsthand witnesses. And in general, Republicans really don’t have much. They’ve highlighted that the address associated with wire transfers originating with foreign interests was a residence tied to the now president… failing to fully incorporate that Hunter Biden was using that location as his own address! Thus, there’s again nothing conclusive here.
AOC: “The gentleman from Florida presented on the screen something that looked, appeared to be a screenshot of a text message containing an explosive allegation. That screenshot of what appeared to be a text message was a fabricated image!” pic.twitter.com/Qz5MmdS0bh
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) September 28, 2023
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) at impeachment hearing is calling the below from Oversight Rs a “fabricated image” – the original source looks like this https://t.co/IEHgbp73DN pic.twitter.com/huFgyccsk6
— Arthur Delaney 🇺🇸 (@ArthurDelaneyHP) September 28, 2023
