Under pressure from the hard-right faction of his party, Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced the initiation of an impeachment investigation into U.S. President Joe Biden.
McCarthy stated, “I am directing our House committee to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden,” alleging that the Democratic leader has misled the American public regarding his son Hunter’s foreign business dealings.
McCarthy further explained, “House Republicans have uncovered serious and credible allegations about President Biden’s conduct. Taken together, these allegations paint a picture of a culture of corruption.”
Hunter Biden’s business activities in Ukraine and China while his father served as vice president under Barack Obama have been a persistent focus of Republican criticism. Hunter Biden, who has battled substance abuse issues, is currently under investigation by a Justice Department special counsel for possible tax evasion and is expected to face charges by the end of the month related to a firearms violation. However, there is no credible evidence suggesting that the president was involved in any illegal activities related to these matters.
Pressure from the right-wing faction of the party, which remains loyal to former President Donald Trump, has pushed McCarthy to consider opening an impeachment inquiry into the 80-year-old President Biden for several months. In response, the White House swiftly condemned this move, characterizing it as “extreme politics at its worst.”
Ian Sams, a White House spokesman, responded on X, saying, “House Republicans have been investigating the President for nine months, and they’ve turned up no evidence of wrongdoing.”
‘Will go wherever the evidence takes us’
McCarthy, who had to make concessions to the far-right faction of his party to secure his powerful role as speaker, asserted that the “allegations of abuse of power, obstruction, and corruption” against Biden necessitate further investigation by the House of Representatives.
He claimed, “We have found that President Biden did lie to the American people about his own knowledge of his family’s foreign business dealings.” Bank records allegedly indicate that various shell companies funneled nearly $20 million in payments to Biden family members and associates, according to McCarthy.
According to McCarthy, the Republican-controlled House Oversight, Judiciary, and Ways and Means committees would conduct the impeachment inquiry, emphasizing their commitment to follow the evidence wherever it leads.
Previously, McCarthy stated that he would first hold a vote in the House before launching an impeachment inquiry. However, he reversed this stance under pressure from the far-right and the concern that he might not have enough votes on the House floor.
White House spokesman Ian Sams criticized this change, stating, “He vowed to hold a vote to open impeachment, now he flip-flopped because he doesn’t have support.”
Notably, several moderate Republican House members have expressed skepticism about initiating an impeachment probe into President Biden.
