In response to the demands of staunch members of the GOP House caucus, U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, on September 12, 2023, instructed the leading Republicans in Congress to initiate an official impeachment investigation against President Joe Biden.[0] [1]
The decision to open an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden has caused a stir in the political world. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, under pressure from hard-line members of the GOP House caucus, made the announcement on September 12, 2023.[1] The Republicans allege that President Biden committed financial wrongdoing with foreign businesses, although they have yet to provide concrete evidence to support their claims.
The impeachment inquiry will be led by House Oversight and Accountability Chairman James R. Comer, R-Ky.[2] McCarthy stated that this inquiry is the “logical next step” and will give the committees the power to gather all the facts and answers for the American public.[3]
The allegations against President Biden stem from his son Hunter Biden's business dealings overseas. Republicans insist that Biden profited illicitly from his son's business activities but have yet to present any evidence to back up their claims. They have aired allegations that the Justice Department hindered an investigation into Hunter Biden's financial dealings.[4]
Republicans, who narrowly control the House, accuse Biden of profiting from his son's foreign business ventures while he served as vice president from 2009 to 2017. However, they have not provided any evidence to support these allegations.[5]
House Republicans have been investigating President Biden for nine months without finding any evidence of wrongdoing. White House spokesman Ian Sams tweeted that “House Republicans have turned up no evidence of wrongdoing” and called the impeachment inquiry extreme politics at its worst.
The decision to open an impeachment inquiry has put House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in a politically tight spot.[6] He must maintain the confidence of a fractured, minuscule majority in the House, with a vocal far-right faction demanding impeachment and moderate Republicans fearing it could alienate voters in next year's elections.[7]
McCarthy had previously stated that he would not open an impeachment inquiry without a full House vote.[8] However, he changed his stance after realizing there would not be enough votes to open an inquiry on the House floor.[4]
The Constitution empowers Congress to impeach federal officials, including the president, for high crimes and misdemeanors.[9] Historically, the House has launched an impeachment inquiry before voting on impeachment itself. However, an inquiry is not a legal requirement, and the rules around it are poorly defined.[9]
The impeachment inquiry into President Biden has created divisions within the Republican Party. Some hard-line conservatives have been pushing for impeachment since Biden took office, while moderate Republicans are more hesitant. McCarthy has tried to satisfy both wings of the party but has struggled to do so without undermining his own position.[8]
It remains to be seen whether there is broad Republican support for the impeachment inquiry. Some Republicans, including Reps. Ken Buck of Colorado and Don Bacon of Nebraska, have expressed skepticism towards pursuing an impeachment inquiry. The razor-thin majority that Republicans hold in the House makes it uncertain if McCarthy's bid will be successful.[10]
The impeachment inquiry into President Biden is a significant development in American politics. It remains to be seen how the investigation will unfold and what evidence, if any, will be presented to support the allegations against the president. The outcome of this inquiry will have far-reaching implications for the Biden administration and the future of American politics.
0. “MTG is claiming credit for McCarthy opening Biden impeachment inquiry” Business Insider, 12 Sep. 2023, https://www.businessinsider.com/marjorie-taylor-greene-mccarthy-biden-impeachment-inquiry-gaetz-conservatives-2023-9
1. “Republicans call for impeachment inquiry into Biden — a process the founders intended to deter abuse of power as well …” The Conversation, 12 Sep. 2023, https://theconversation.com/republicans-call-for-impeachment-inquiry-into-biden-a-process-the-founders-intended-to-deter-abuse-of-power-as-well-as-remove-from-office-213432
2. “House GOP announces formal impeachment inquiry into Biden” Roll Call , 12 Sep. 2023, https://rollcall.com/2023/09/12/house-gop-announces-formal-impeachment-inquiry-into-biden/
3. “McCarthy orders impeachment inquiry into Biden amid pressure from hard-liners” ABC News, 12 Sep. 2023, https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/speaker-mccarthy-expected-endorse-impeachment-inquiry-president-biden/story?id=103114626
4. “Kevin McCarthy directs House committees to open Biden impeachment inquiry” The Washington Post, 12 Sep. 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/09/12/mccarthy-biden-impeachment/
5. “House speaker Kevin McCarthy announces impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden” The Guardian US, 12 Sep. 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/sep/12/biden-impeachment-kevin-mccarthy-announcement
6. “Top Republican directs US House committee to open Biden impeachment inquiry” Al Jazeera English, 12 Sep. 2023, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/9/12/top-republican-directs-us-house-committee-to-open-biden-impeachment-inquiry
7. “Texas congressional Democrats say impeaching Biden is “not comparable” to Trump impeachments” The Texas Tribune, 12 Sep. 2023, https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/12/texas-congress-biden-impeach-trump/
8. “The Impeachment Inquiry Proves That Kevin McCarthy Is a Hostage” The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2023, https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2023/09/kevin-mccarthy-biden-impeachment-house-gop/675298
9. “Impeachment Experts: Biden Inquiry May Be Weakest in History” TIME, 12 Sep. 2023, https://time.com/6313452/impeachment-experts-biden-inquiry-weakest-us-history/
10. “John Fetterman's Reaction to Biden Impeachment Is All We Care About” The New Republic, 12 Sep. 2023, https://newrepublic.com/post/175526/john-fetterman-reaction-biden-impeachment
