WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA) joined the Oversight Committee in investigating the Impeachment of President Biden.
Over the past year, the committee has investigated the Biden family’s domestic and international business dealings to determine if these activities have compromised U.S. national security and Biden’s ability to lead with impartiality.
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Congressman Higgins’ remarks and questioning below:
Congressman Clay Higgins
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Turley. Professor, we’re gonna be moving quickly here. Let us retract from the absurdities of 21st-century Twitter. Let’s go back to 1787, shall we.
Article Two, Section Four: the President, Vice President, and all civil officers of the United States shall be removed from office on impeachment for and conviction of treason, bribery, and other high crimes and misdemeanors.
High crimes and misdemeanors is not, and never has been limited to indictable criminality. Mr. Turley, Professor, please tell us briefly, sir, what was the actual meaning in 1787 of high crimes and misdemeanors?
Professor Jonathan Turley
Well, this has been a matter of obviously robust debate for many decades. What we do know is that there were various terms that were offered and were rejected.
The most famous being maladministration and James Madison was uncomfortable with that. But they were also uncomfortable with limiting it to like treason and bribery.
Congressman Clay Higgins
Exactly. It was never designed to be limited by writ of statute. Was it professor? Would Madison argue that quote-unquote, “betrayal of trust to foreign powers is an impeachable offense?”
Professor Jonathan Turley
There are references into that type of betrayal of trust. But also, if you take a look at past impeachments, they have gone to the violation of public trust, including the use of office to perpetuate false accounts or to obstruct this body.
Congressman Clay Higgins
Agreed. So impeachment is a mechanism of our congressional authority is not a criminal proceeding, is a professor?
Professor Jonathan Turley
it’s not. What I’ve said previously is that I happen to believe you should start with the Criminal Code and look at things that would be crimes for others because those resonate the most in turn.
Congressman Clay Higgins
Those criminal code violations would be revealed through the investigative effort of the congressional endeavor to inquire into impeachable offenses like this hearing, would you agree?
Professor Jonathan Turley
That’s right.
….
Congressman Clay Higgins
Mr. Turley based upon the constitutional parameters of the House of Representatives. Do you agree that our Oversight Committee, Judiciary Committee, and Ways and Means Committee should be judiciously investigating reasonable suspicion of impeachable actions by President Joe Biden?
Professor Jonathan Turley
I do. I think it is your duty to get answers to these questions and to see if the President was involved in what I think is a confirmed corrupt influence-peddling effort.
Congressman Clay Higgins
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My time has expired, I yield.
