GOP impeachment probe 'falling apart,' Sen. Lindsey Graham says

Dec. 17 (UPI) -- Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said the effort by House Republicans to impeach President Joe Biden is "falling apart," as the investigation has so far failed to produce anything of substance that could potentially hurt Biden.

"If there were a smoking gun, I think we'd be talking about it," Graham said Sunday on NBC News' Meet The Press, adding "I'm not worried about impeaching the president right now."

Graham noted that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East was more important to him than the House investigation into whether the Bidens enriched themselves through foreign business deals made by the president's son, Hunter Biden.

During the program, Graham also praised efforts by the Biden administration to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, which he said would help to restore peace in the region while stifling Iran following the Israel-Hamas war.

"The Biden administration is trying to revive the normalization efforts, and I think they're right to do so. If you really want to hurt Iran long term, don't let them get away with destroying efforts to reconcile between Israel and Saudi Arabia."

The war was complicating efforts to put an agreement in place as the Israeli ground offensive in Gaza was creating outrage in the international community due to the high number of civilian deaths among Palestinians.

"I can tell you, Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries cannot normalize with Israel if they're having been seen as throwing the Palestinians under the bus," Graham said. "We have two choices: Continue the death spiral or use Oct. 7 as a catalyst for change."

The Biden administration has been putting pressure on the Israel government to curb the high number of civilian casualties.

Graham, a staunch Republican, is not one who would usually defend President Biden. However, when questioned about the GOP's push for Biden's impeachment in the House, Graham expressed reluctance to continue the inquiry.

"You know what I'm worried about?," he asked. "Helping the president bring the Mideast to a better spot; trying to convince the Arabs and the Israelis to not let Iran get you off track; give Israel the space to destroy Hamas."

Since reclaiming the House in January, Republicans have intensified their scrutiny of the Biden family in an effort to appease hardline party members who accuse the president of abuse of power.

Previously, Republicans called the impeachment effort necessary to obtain official documents and bank records from Biden to determine whether he had taken foreign bribes to help his son.

However, no evidence has been put forth to indicate that Biden broke the law, while the president continues to deny any wrongdoing.

"They have to prove that President Biden somehow financially benefited from the business enterprises of Hunter Biden. We'll see," the senator said skeptically.

Graham's comments come after the House voted last week to formalize the impeachment inquiry into Biden, which allows several committees to continue investigating whether there are sufficient grounds to bring charges against the incumbent.

The probe, launched Sept. 12 by former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has been focused on drawing a connection between Biden and unethical business practices by his son, but Democrats continue to call the effort a "political stunt."