FLORIDA — Congressional Republicans have issued legal summons to several members of the Biden family in an escalation of their impeachment inquiry into the president.

The House Oversight Committee subpoenaed Biden's son Hunter, his brother James, and Biden family associate Rob Walker.

It is also requesting transcribed interviews with five others. The White House accused Republicans of "abusing their power to conduct a smear campaign".

House Republicans opened their impeachment inquiry in September, saying they had uncovered evidence of President Biden's knowledge of and role in his family members' domestic and foreign business dealings.

But at the Oversight Committee's first hearing that month, witnesses and even Republicans on the panel said more evidence was needed to determine if the president had committed any impeachable offenses.

In a statement on Wednesday, the House Oversight Committee said it had obtained financial records that showed Biden family members allegedly set up more than 20 shell companies during Joe Biden's vice presidency in order to hide payments they received from overseas.

The committee further charged that the Biden family, its associates, and its companies had received more than $24m (£20m) from foreign nations, including some viewed as US adversaries. — BBC