House Republicans on Wednesday are threatening "compulsory process" against the Biden administration to immediately permit the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to provide all drafts of then-Vice President Joe Biden's speech delivered to the Ukrainian Rada in December 2015.
In his speech, Biden called for the firing of Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin, who was investigating Ukrainian energy giant Burisma Holdings Ltd., Biden's son Hunter Biden was serving on Burisma's board of directors at the time.
"The White House is REFUSING to hand over early drafts of President Biden’s 2015 Ukraine speech where he called for the firing of the Ukrainian prosecutor, Viktor Shokin," the House Oversight Committee Republicans wrote on X, sharing a letter writing to the White House on Wednesday.
"These drafts are important as it is believed, based on public reporting, that the then-VP 'called an audible' and changed U.S. policy toward Ukraine to benefit his son on the plane ride to Ukraine. Joe Biden later bragged about withholding a U.S. loan guarantee if Ukraine did not fire the prosecutor.
"If the White House does not permit the production of these documents, our committee will consider the use of compulsory process."
Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chair of the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, chair of the Judiciary Committee, and Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., chair of the Ways and Means Committee wrote a letter Wednesday to White House Counsel Edward Siskel. The committees are leading the impeachment inquiry into allegations of influence peddling and corruption involving the president and members of his family.
The letter, obtained by Newsmax, states Comer's committee in August wrote NARA requesting all drafts of Biden's speech from Nov. 1, 2015, to Dec. 9, 2015, the day he spoke to Ukraine's Rada, which is its unicameral parliament.
"For more than five months, the White House has declined to authorize the production of these draft speeches to the Oversight Committee or to assert a valid privilege over them," the lawmakers wrote. "Such a lengthy delay in processing a discrete and limited category of documents is unacceptable and appears to represent an attempt to obstruct the Committees' legitimate investigation. These dilatory tactics must cease, and the White House must permit NARA to release these documents forthwith.
The lawmakers wrote the Biden White House has permitted NARA to provide Congress with presidential records related to the Trump administration "after only one month of White House review. We expect the White House to do the same in this instance." They wrote that U.S. Archivist Colleen Shogan told the committees she had no insight into the decision-making process the White House is using for their review and release of the records.
"In short, NARA has identified the White House as the sole party responsible for the stonewalling of this request," the lawmakers wrote, adding they demand the White House allow NARA to release all the drafts to the committees no later than Feb. 7.
"If the White House does not either authorize the production of all documents NARA has identified as responsive to this request or assert a legitimate privilege by that date, the Oversight Committee will consider the use of compulsory process to require the White House's production of the speeches," the letter stated.
Newsmax reached out to the White House for comment.
Newsmax's Eric Mack contributed to this report.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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