In recent news, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has announced an inquiry into President Joe Biden, citing various allegations. “Today, I am directing our House committee to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden,” McCarthy made a short formal statement at the U.S. Capitol and did not take questions from reporters.
McCarthy highlighted concerns over Biden’s alleged coordination with his son, Hunter Biden’s business partners, particularly in relation to the Ukrainian energy company Burisma. “We have found that President Biden did lie about his own knowledge of his family’s foreign business dealings,” McCarthy stated that Biden had joined in on several phone calls with Hunter’s business partners. McCarthy added, “Bank records show that nearly $20 million in payments were directed to the Biden’s family members and associates through various shell companies.”
McCarthy criticized the Biden administration’s preferential treatment of the President’s family, highlighting the lenient treatment of Hunter and other privileged individuals with the Biden name.
McCarthy stated that giving full power to the committees would be the logical next step in uncovering the truth as well as providing answers to the American public. According to McCarthy, they seek the answers and facts to clarify the situation. He believes the President would also be willing to address these allegations and questions.
However, certain Senate members, often referred to as RINOs (Republicans In Name Only), have expressed reservations about the impeachment inquiry. They suggest that the focus should be on pressing issues for the 2024 elections, such as the economy and border security. Their stance is that the impeachment could serve as a distraction from these pivotal topics.
Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), a key figure in the Senate GOP leadership, voiced his skepticism about the impeachment’s potential success in the Senate. He mentioned that House Republicans already possess the authority to investigate Biden without initiating a formal impeachment inquiry. Cornyn emphasized the importance of prioritizing time and resources, suggesting that the House could conduct investigations through various committees without resorting to a formal inquiry.
Echoing Cornyn’s sentiments, GOP Whip John Thune (S.D.) and Senator Marco Rubio (F.L.) also expressed caution. Rubio, in particular, warned against the frequent use of impeachment as a tool, drawing parallels with countries like Peru, where impeachments have become commonplace. He stressed the importance of preserving the gravity and significance of the impeachment process.
Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO), a member of the House Freedom Caucus, shared a similar perspective. In a conversation with former Biden spokesperson and MSNBC host Jen Psaki, Buck stated that impeachment should be considered only when there’s concrete evidence linking President Biden to a high crime or misdemeanor. According to him, such evidence is currently lacking.
The U.S. Constitution clearly outlines the grounds for impeachment of a president as “treason, bribery, or other high crimes or misdemeanors,” which can result in their removal from office.
It is highly unlikely that any attempt to remove President Biden from office would succeed. In order for him to be removed from office, the House of Representatives, where Republicans hold a slim 222-212 majority, would have to vote in favor of impeachment. The impeachment proceedings would then proceed to a Senate trial, where Democrats hold a majority, making it highly probable that the proceedings would be dismissed.
Trump, the only U.S. president to be impeached twice, and was acquitted both times by fellow Republicans.