Democrats on Thursday mocked House Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., after The Daily Beast revealed that he loaned his brother $200,000.
Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., a member of the Oversight committee, trolled Comer by mocking his Wednesday video in which he signed off on subpoenas to President Joe Biden’s brother James and son Hunter.
The Daily Beast notes, “Kentucky property records show that Comer and his brother swapped land related to their multi-million-dollar family farming business with one deal also involving $200,000 and a shell company. In that transaction, Comer funneled extra money to his brother, while other recent land swaps were quickly followed by new applications for special tax breaks, state records show. “All of this, perplexingly, related to the dealings of a family company that appears to have never existed on paper.”
In effect, Comer’s attempts to find out something impeachable in Joe Biden’s behavior have managed to reveal no such activity on the Bidens’ part and has in fact, revealed possible conflicts of interest and shady business practices on the part the Comer brothers.
Earlier this year, The Daily Beast reported that Comer’s inquiry into the “weaponization” of government resources ran similar to Comer’s own investigation-meddling scandal. The outlet also reported that Comer’s oversight hearing this year into abuse of the COVID loan program also invoked the Kentucky representative and his brother.
“Conflicts of interest can occur when members serve on committees overseeing industries in which they are heavily invested or in which their business interests are intertwined,” Delaney Marsco, senior counsel for ethics at nonpartisan watchdog Campaign Legal Center, said. “Voters have a right to know that lawmakers are using their considerable power in the interest of the public, not to game a personal business advantage.” Comer was a member of the House Agricultural Committee and negotiated a major Farm Bill; he also served as Kentucky’s Agricultural Commissioner, all while involved in his family’s farming business.”
A Comer spokesperson did not return The Daily Beast’s request for comment.