Topline
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) instructed House committees to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden on Tuesday, following a long-running probe into Biden’s family—as McCarthy faces demands from hard-right Republicans for an impeachment vote and wrangles his caucus to avert a government shutdown.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) speaks to the press at the Capitol on July 27, 2023.
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
Key Facts
McCarthy said Tuesday he has instructed the House Judiciary, Oversight and Ways and Means committees to open a formal impeachment inquiry into Biden, citing evidence the House has gathered in its investigations into Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings and whether the president used his influence to financially benefit his son.
McCarthy made the announcement in a news conference, hours after multiple news outlets revealed he was expected to tell House GOP leaders he supports an impeachment inquiry.
He cited accusations that Biden participated in phone calls with his son’s foreign business partners while serving as vice president, bank records showing that Hunter Biden and his associates made $20 million from his foreign business dealings, and unconfirmed bribery allegations against Biden and his son.
McCarthy indicated in recent weeks he was warming to the idea of impeaching Biden, telling CNN in July an impeachment inquiry may be the best tool to facilitate House investigations into Biden and his family members.
The House voted along party lines in June to send a resolution brought by Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) to impeach Biden to the Judiciary and Homeland Security committees, a move that prevented impeachment proceedings from starting immediately but set the stage for an inquiry.
The legislation accuses Biden of dereliction of duty and abuse of power, citing border policies hard-right members say have led to an increase in illegal immigration.
Crucial Quote
“I do not make this decision lightly,” McCarthy said. “Regardless of your party, or who you voted for, these facts should concern all Americans. The American people deserve to know the public offices are not for sale and that the federal government is not being used to cover up the actions of a politically associated family.”
What We Don’t Know
Whether the impeachment inquiry will actually lead to the House filing articles of impeachment against Biden. The House could skip the impeachment inquiry process by moving directly to a vote to bring articles of impeachment, but McCarthy is expected to first call for a formal vote on an inquiry that would be led by the House committees. The House has the authority to kick-start the impeachment process, but if Biden is impeached, the Democratic-controlled Senate would then need to conduct a trial to remove Biden from office—a move that requires a two thirds vote.
Key Background
The impeachment push centers around the House’s investigations into Hunter Biden’s foreign dealings, including allegations that Joe Biden had contact with his son’s business partners. Republicans have yet to produce solid evidence the president engaged in any illegal conduct or financially benefited from his son’s deals. While Boebert’s resolution cites Biden’s border policies, she introduced her legislation hours after the Justice Department announced a now-defunct plea deal with Hunter Biden for alleged tax and gun crimes—an ordeal unrelated to his father. The deal unraveled in court in July when the two sides could not come to an agreement about future immunity. A coalition of hard-right Republicans blasted the agreement as a sweetheart deal and used it as an example of their claims that the Justice Department is doing the president’s bidding by prosecuting former President Trump, but being lenient on the younger Biden.
Tangent
McCarthy’s impeachment endorsement comes as members of the House Freedom Caucus have threatened to vote against a fiscal year 2024 budget if it does not meet a string of demands that the Democratic-controlled Senate and White House would be hard-pressed to agree to, a scenario that sets the stage for a potential government shutdown at the end of September, when the current fiscal year expires. Among their demands laid out in a memo unveiled last week, the group of right-wing members wants the budget to limit funding for Ukraine, cut spending to fiscal year 2022 levels and address what they claim is a “weaponization” of the Justice Department and FBI. At least one member of the far right, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), has said she would vote against a budget if the House does not impeach Biden.
Contra
Some House Republicans have said they are against impeaching Biden, indicating the GOP, which holds a 222-213 majority in the House, may not have the 218 votes it needs to pass impeachment inquiry legislation. Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) called Greene’s demand “absurd” in an interview with MSNBC on Sunday, adding that evidence linking him “to a high crime or misdemeanor . . . doesn’t exist right now.” Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) has also indicated he is skeptical about the merits of impeachment, telling The Hill last month, “I think we need to have more concrete evidence to go down that path.”
What To Watch For
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) was expected to threaten McCarthy’s ouster if he does not support an impeachment inquiry during a speech on the House floor Tuesday, the New York Times reported. Just one member can kick-start the process for removing McCarthy by bringing a “motion to vacate,” a new rule McCarthy agreed to as part of an agreement to win over far-right holdovers in the January speaker election.
Further Reading
House Avoids Impeaching Biden, Rebuking Hard-Right Boebert In Latest Display Of GOP Divisions (Forbes)
Right-Wing Lawmakers Threaten Government Shutdown In 2024 Spending Talks: Here’s How It Could Affect Americans (Forbes)
McCarthy Threatened Biden With An Impeachment Inquiry—Here’s What That Is (Forbes)
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