Graham says Biden narrative around impeachment inquiry ‘falling apart’

Clarification: Graham cast doubt in his comments about Hunter Biden’s narrative. The headline and story have been updated to make that more clear. 

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Sunday said he believes the “narrative” by Hunter Biden and the president at the center of the House’s impeachment inquiry into President Biden is “falling apart,” arguing if there was a “smoking gun” in the inquiry, there would be more clear discussions.

“If there were a smoking gun, I think we’d be talking about it,” Graham said on NBC News’s “Meet The Press.”

“But … the narrative that Hunter Biden presented is falling part. The idea that Joe Biden knew nothing about the business dealings is falling apart. I’m not worried about impeaching the president right now,” Graham continued, adding he is more concerned with the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Graham noted he hasn’t “really been paying that much attention” to the House’s investigation into Biden and his family’s foreign business dealings.

“They have to prove that President Biden somehow financially benefited from the business enterprises of Hunter Biden. We’ll see,” the senator said.

The House last week formalized its impeachment inquiry into Biden with a 221-212 vote along party lines to approve a resolution authorizing the inquiry.

The vote came after months of investigations led by House GOP members into widely disputed allegations that Biden improperly benefited from or used policy to benefit the foreign business dealings of family members, most notably his son Hunter Biden. House Republicans are also looking into accusations that the Department of Justice slow-walked a tax crimes probe into Hunter Biden, who was indicted on charges of evading taxes on foreign business earnings.

Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in September asserted the various GOP probes into Biden would fall under the umbrella of impeachment, but he did not hold a formal vote at the time.

Last week’s vote came just hours after the president’s son made a brief appearance at the Capitol, where he gave a public statement railing against House Republicans instead of appearing for a scheduled deposition for a subpoena from House Republicans.

Hunter Biden said last week he sought to testify in a public setting, while Republicans are seeking a closed-door deposition instead. The White House has embarked on a campaign of attacking the impeachment inquiry, which it maintains is a “political stunt.”

Updated 3:10 p.m.