Will Joe Biden Be Impeached?

House Republicans Launch Formal Impeachment Inquiry into President Biden
Joe Biden campaign

Credit: Unsplash

House Republicans Launch Formal Impeachment Inquiry into President Biden

The US House of Representatives has announced the initiation of a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, as confirmed by Kevin McCarthy, the most senior Republican in the House. McCarthy stated that the inquiry would focus on “allegations of abuse of power, obstruction, and corruption” by President Biden.

The decision to open the impeachment inquiry follows months of investigations by Republicans into the president’s conduct, since they gained control of the House earlier this year. While these inquiries have not yielded concrete evidence of misconduct by President Biden, they have raised questions about the business dealings of his son, Hunter Biden, which some Republicans have deemed questionable.

In a statement at the US Capitol, Kevin McCarthy cited “serious and credible” allegations involving the president’s conduct and suggested a “culture of corruption.” However, the White House swiftly denounced McCarthy’s move, with spokesperson Ian Sams emphasizing that House Republicans had been investigating the president for nine months without finding evidence of wrongdoing.

Hunter Biden is currently under federal investigation for possible tax crimes related to his foreign business interests. McCarthy also alleged that President Biden’s family had received preferential treatment from administration officials involved in investigating allegations of misconduct, a claim the White House has denied.

https://x.com/CitizenFreePres/status/1701943791790203202?s=20

The impeachment inquiry grants congressional investigators greater legal authority to examine the president’s actions, including issuing subpoenas for documents and testimony that can be enforced in court. Under the US Constitution, a president can be impeached for “treason, bribery, or other high crimes or misdemeanors,” potentially leading to removal from office.

However, any effort to remove President Biden through impeachment is unlikely to succeed. Democrats hold a majority in the Senate, which would have to approve any impeachment proceedings following a House vote. Former President Donald Trump, the only president to be impeached twice, was acquitted both times by Senate Republicans.

Kevin McCarthy, who leads House Republicans as Speaker, faced pressure from right-wing members to initiate an impeachment inquiry. Congressman Matt Gaetz, a close ally of Trump, previously threatened to force a vote to remove McCarthy from his leadership position if he did not launch such an investigation.

McCarthy’s decision comes as he is working to guide a series of spending bills through the House before the end of September to avoid a government shutdown. The move to support impeachment could be viewed as an attempt to gain support from right-wing House Republicans, but it carries risks, as centrist Republicans in competitive districts have expressed concerns about alienating independent and moderate voters.