US Republicans: Investigating Biden’s Impeachment

Republicans in the US House of Representatives are moving forward with an investigation into criminal activities against US President Joe Biden, making the investigation official.

The chamber voted with a majority of Republicans to move the investigation forward and “regularize” it. It’s a technicality that Republicans hope will give them more legal authority in their investigations. It does not open impeachment proceedings against the President. “Instead of doing something to improve the lives of Americans, they’re focused on attacking me with lies,” Biden said in response to the poll.

There is no clear evidence yet

Some Republicans accuse Biden, a Democrat, of abusing his public office for his family’s financial gain. However, they have yet to provide clear evidence of serious misconduct. Biden denies the allegations. The president accused Republicans of inaction on important issues, such as providing more aid to Ukraine. Instead, they waste their time on “political stunts”.

The House of Representatives voted 221 to 212. Democrats voted unanimously against it. House Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who was impeached, began an investigation in September. But he abstained from voting on it in the House of Parliament. His concern was that some more moderate Republicans might vote against it. That’s not happening now.

Voting should create a legal basis

Republicans handling the investigation argued last week that there was no legal basis for the subpoenas or document requests. The White House handed over the documents. According to Republicans, these are not enough.

Mike Johnson, the new Republican leader of the chamber, voted to the right of his party. He insisted that the investigation be made official. The current vote ensures that the investigation will continue throughout the entire election campaign for the 2024 presidential election.

It is questionable whether the investigation will actually lead to impeachment proceedings. Because it first requires a majority in the House of Representatives. Republicans hold a slim majority there, but many more moderate Republicans have recently criticized the plan. They may shy away from opening practices later.

Even if it succeeds in the House of Representatives, the other chamber of Congress, the Senate, must decide whether to impeach the president. Biden’s Democrats have a narrow majority there. The possibility that the president could eventually be found guilty and removed from office has so far been ruled out.

Biden’s son Hunter is paying attention

Many Republicans repeatedly associate the president with his son Hunter Biden’s business. On Wednesday morning, Hunter Biden, who is facing charges including possible tax felony charges, appeared before the US Congress to testify against his father in public hearings on the impeachment inquiry. Republicans called him to testify behind closed doors. However, he refused this for strategic reasons. “Let me make it as clear as possible that my father has no financial involvement in my business,” Hunter Biden said.

Former US President Donald Trump has repeatedly called on his party colleagues in the past to start impeachment proceedings against Biden. During Trump’s tenure, Democrats in Congress launched two impeachment proceedings against him. The Republican is the first president in US history to face two such impeachment hearings in the Senate – one on charges of abuse of power and the other in a violent attack on the US Capitol by his supporters. He was cleared of both charges by the Senate, which his party still held at the time.

The campaign is now underway for the next presidential election, in which both Biden and Trump want to become their parties’ nominees. Trump faces four criminal charges in the middle of the campaign — two of which relate to efforts to retroactively change the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.