In a surprising turn of events, Kevin McCarthy, the most senior Republican in the US House of Representatives, recently announced on Tuesday a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. This decision has sparked intense discussions across the political spectrum. His historic move comes amid allegations of corruption surrounding President Biden’s family business dealings, launching historic proceedings ahead of the 2024 election.
These are allegations of abuse of power, obstruction and corruption.McCarthy will direct the chairmen of the House Judiciary, Oversight and Ways and Means committees – which have been working together for months on various probes related to the Biden family – to lead the impeachment inquiry.
You can read also: Biden and McCarthy reach “in principle” agreement on US debt ceiling
Unsurprisingly, the White House swiftly responded, calling the move “extreme politics at its worst.” White House spokesperson Ian Sams argued that House Republicans had been investigating President Biden for nine months and had found no evidence of wrongdoing
An impeachment inquiry is what?
An impeachment inquiry constitutes an examination into potential misconduct committed by federal officials, including the President of the United States, Cabinet members, or judges. This process is enshrined in the Constitution and represents the most formidable oversight authority that Congress possesses over the executive branch.
The House of Representatives possesses the authority to initiate impeachment proceedings against a federal official, while only the Senate holds the power to convict and oust an individual from their position.
As of now, no sitting President has ever been removed from office via impeachment. However, in 1974, former Republican President Richard Nixon resigned as the House was on the verge of voting on impeachment articles against him.
Republicans pursuing impeachment against Biden
Since taking control of the House in January, House Republicans have been investigating Biden and his son Hunter aggressively, alleging their involvement in an influence-peddling scheme.
These claims mirror accusations that Trump has been making against Biden and his family for years.
Republicans have been particularly focused on an unverified tip given to the FBI. It alleged a bribery scheme involving Biden when he served as vice president under Barack Obama.
This bribery allegation, which surfaced in 2019 and was part of Trump’s first impeachment, centers around Biden’s alleged pressure on Ukraine to remove its top prosecutor, who was investigating Burisma, an oil and gas company where Hunter Biden sat on the board.
Democrats have emphasized that the Department of Justice investigated the Burisma claim while Trump was president. They concluded the inquiry after eight months, citing “insufficient evidence” to pursue it further.
Other countries also wanted the Ukrainian official removed due to corruption concerns. Additionally, a former business partner of Hunter Biden’s testified before Congress, stating that the bribery allegation is false.
Nevertheless, three House committees have been investigating various aspects of the president and his son’s activities, including how Hunter leveraged the “Biden brand” to advance his business with foreign clients.
Will Biden be impeached?
The House must vote for at least one impeachment charge against Biden to proceed. An impeachment investigation might end without any accusations. Still, the inquiry will continue to affect Biden because he’s running for re-election against a Republican field led by Donald Trump, who has been impeached twice.
White Houses’ response
The White House criticized McCarthy’s announcement about the impeachment inquiry on Tuesday. Spokesman Ian Sams referred to it as “extreme politics at its worst.”
Sams posted on social media that House Republicans have been looking into the President’s actions for 9 months but haven’t found any evidence of wrongdoing.
Who spoke for Democrats?
Many Democratic senators have supported Biden, saying he didn’t break the law, and they believe Republicans are using impeachment to distract from Trump’s legal issues. The former Republican president, likely to win the GOP nomination in 2024, faces four different crime allegations.
Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, stated on Tuesday that the evidence proves President Biden didn’t do anything wrong.
Chuck Schumer, the majority leader of the US Senate, called the inquiry “absurd” and accused Republicans of disregarding the truth and the Constitution during their impeachment investigation.
Impeachment inquiry Process
McCarthy told Kammer to lead the impeachment inquiry alongside Jim Jordan and Jason Smith from the House Judiciary and House Ways and Means Chairmen.
Before, McCarthy said the House would vote to start an investigation, but he didn’t promise this on Tuesday. The U.S. Constitution and House rules don’t demand a vote to begin an impeachment inquiry. However, previous presidential impeachments involved passing ratification resolutions.
Once the impeachment inquiry ends, the House usually assigns the Judiciary Committee, which has the authority to introduce impeachment articles, to listen and draft charges.
Following McCarthy’s announcement, Republican Matt Getz urged us to act swiftly.
Inquiry Duration
There are no restrictions on how long an impeachment investigation may go.
Depending on whether McCarthy and other Republican leaders think it’s appropriate to wrap up the investigation into Biden or proceed to articles of impeachment, the investigation may continue as little as a few months or as long as a year.
The only actual deadline would be January 2, 2025, which is the conclusion of this Congress.
Past Impeachment Precedents
The United States has witnessed only three presidential impeachments in its history: Andrew Johnson in 1868, Bill Clinton in 1998, and Donald Trump in 2019 and 2021. All three impeachment inquiries ultimately resulted in acquittal by the Senate. The likelihood of a successful impeachment of President Biden will depend on the evidence presented and the political dynamics in both the House and the Senate.
In an unprecedented move, Kevin McCarthy’s initiation of an impeachment inquiry against President Biden has ignited fierce debates across the political spectrum. Allegations of corruption within Biden’s family business have prompted this historic action, setting the stage for a historic event ahead of the 2024 election. However, the White House swiftly dismissed the move as extreme politics, emphasizing the lack of evidence. As the investigation unfolds, it remains to be seen how this inquiry will shape the political landscape and whether it will follow the precedents of past presidential impeachments.
