House Republicans Set to Approve Formal Impeachment Inquiry into President Biden
The Republican-led House is set to approve a formal impeachment inquiry into President Biden on Wednesday. This comes after a yearlong G.O.P. investigation that has failed to produce evidence of any high crimes or misdemeanors.
The vote, expected in the evening, is seen as necessary to give Republicans full authority to carry out their investigations amid anticipated legal challenges from the White House. However, Democrats have denounced the inquiry as a fishing expedition and a political stunt.
Several months ago, mainstream Republicans had reservations about moving forward without proof that Mr. Biden did anything wrong. However, the political ground has shifted considerably, with most Republicans now willing to approve the inquiry. They emphasize that this action does not equate to immediate impeachment of the president.
House Republicans have been investigating various aspects of President Biden’s family and administration since winning the majority. They have been specifically focusing on Hunter Biden, who is currently under indictment on federal tax and gun charges, as well as the work he did for companies and partners in Ukraine, China, and other countries.
In particular, Republicans have obtained thousands of pages of bank records, suspicious activity reports from the Treasury Department, and hours of testimony from individuals connected to Hunter Biden. Despite their efforts, Democrats argue that the yearlong investigation has failed to uncover any evidence of wrongdoing by President Biden.
The impeachment inquiry resolution does not accuse Mr. Biden of any wrongdoing. It authorizes Republican-led panels to continue their investigations, petitions a court for grand jury materials, approves subpoenas, and allows for the hiring of outside counsel to assist with the inquiry.
Republicans have scheduled a deposition with Hunter Biden, who has resisted testifying behind closed doors, insisting on testifying publicly. The House committee has rejected that offer and is threatening to hold him in contempt of Congress if he does not comply with their demands.
Furthermore, Representative Jim Jordan, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, indicated plans to question nine more witnesses within two months. He suggested that false statements made by President Biden about his son’s business interests could constitute obstruction.
The resolution is expected to pass the Republican-led House on Wednesday evening. This development marks a significant escalation in the ongoing tensions between the Democrats and Republicans regarding President Biden’s administration.