Investigation into Joe & Hunter Biden Begins as Senators Gather Evidence
With Trump's impeachment over, attention moves to allegations of Biden family corruption
© press
With President Donald Trump's impeachment trial now in the rearview mirror, senators have started gathering evidence on former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter, as their investigation into allegations of corruption in Ukraine gets underway.
Two powerful Republican Senate chairmen have revealed they pushed forward with their probe into Biden family conduct in Ukraine within minutes of President Trump being acquitted on the Democrats' impeachment charges.
Senators Charles Grassley of Iowa and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin released a letter showing they have cranked up their investigation.
Secret Service Director James Murray was been asked by the pair to hand over documents on Hunter Biden immediately after the acquittal vote earlier this week.
Grassley and Johnson are "reviewing potential conflicts of interest posed by the business activities of Hunter Biden and his associates during the Obama administration," particularly in Ukraine and China, where he had business dealings, according to the letter.
The information requested will detail any security detail provided to Hunter Biden, and show his travel aboard government aircraft.
© press
The letter has triggered an investigation that Democrats claimed Trump pressured Ukraine into launching.
While House Democratic impeachment campaign was shut down in the Senate, the proceedings have backfired on the Democrats as allegations against the Bidens were highlighted during the hearings.
Every Senate Republican other than Mitt Romney of Utah voted to acquit, and Trump celebrated his acquittal at the congressional prayer breakfast Thursday morning.
The letter explains that senators are reviewing transactions by Rosemont Seneca Partners.
The company was formed by Hunter Biden in 2009 along with Christopher Heinz the step-son of former Secretary of State John Kerry.
"We write to request information about whether Hunter Biden used government-sponsored travel to help conduct private business, to include his work for Rosemont Seneca and related entities in China and Ukraine," the senators wrote.
The letter mentions Hunter Biden's trip aboard Air Force Two along with his father to China in 2013.
© press
During the trip, he reportedly arranged for the CEO of a Chinese firm, Jonathan Li of Bohai Capital, to shake hands with the then-vice president.
Hunter ultimately landed a business deal with Li.
The public information about their investigation into the vice president's son comes days before the New Hampshire primary.
Joe Biden is trying to turn back challenges from Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, and others.
Biden has said Trump wanted to get Ukraine to investigate him because he fears running against Biden as the Democratic nominee.
Trump says the Biden family is "stone cold crooked" and vows to drain them from the swamp.
