President Biden's brother James Biden has been secretly recorded by the FBI during a bribery investigation involving a Mississippi trial attorney, according to a report on Sunday. The attorney, Richard Scruggs, hired James and Sara Biden's DC consulting firm in the late 1990s to garner support for tobacco legislation being considered by Congress in 1998. While neither James nor President Joe Biden were implicated in any significant criminal wrongdoing in the case, the revelation comes amid an impeachment probe into alleged influence-peddling by the president's family members.

Scruggs, who later faced imprisonment for a separate bribery scheme, aimed to reach a settlement with tobacco companies, seeking around $368 billion. To accomplish this, he needed Congress to waive antitrust provisions. Initially, Joe Biden expressed skepticism about the settlement, but later became one of its most prominent supporters while serving as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

During Scruggs' efforts to garner support from the then-Delaware senator, he made multiple $10,000 payments to Lion Hall, James and Sara Biden's consulting firm, over approximately a year. However, it remains unclear whether James influenced his brother's stance on the bill.

James Biden's lawyer strongly emphasized that his work did not involve speaking with or providing access to his brother. The lawyer has not offered further comments on the matter. Lion Hall has become the focus of Republican congressional investigators examining whether James used the company as a means to filter money to the rest of the Biden family.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer has raised concerns about a $40,000 check marked as a "loan repayment" from James to Joe in 2017, alleging it was "laundered" money from the Chinese government-linked CEFC. The White House has vehemently denied these claims, providing bank records to support the assertion that the payment was a legitimate loan.

In November, the GOP-led House authorized an impeachment probe into President Biden regarding these alleged dealings. James and Hunter Biden were subpoenaed for testimony, but both men did not attend the hearing. Republicans rejected Hunter Biden's offer to testify publicly, insisting on a closed-door session.

Years after the tobacco bill controversy, the FBI began investigating Scruggs for an alleged bribery scheme involving a local judge. Recordings reviewed by the Washington Post revealed phone calls, including those from James Biden, who was reportedly attempting to establish a firm with Scruggs' partners. Although James was not implicated in the bribery scheme, Scruggs and some of his partners were eventually imprisoned.

Despite the swirling controversies, the White House maintains that there is insufficient evidence to warrant an impeachment probe. They have amplified the voices of several Republicans who have publicly expressed doubts about the inquiry. The Post reached out to Scruggs for comment but was unable to make contact.

It is important to note that James Biden's involvement in the bribery investigation does not directly implicate President Joe Biden in any criminal activities. The impeachment probe focuses on allegations of influence-peddling by the president's family members, which is separate from the specific case involving James Biden.