2023-12-14 02:54:33
The United States Congress approved this Wednesday the formal opening of an investigation into a possible dismissal of Joe Biden due to his son’s shady business dealings abroad. The president described this initiative as a “baseless political ruse.”
This procedure has practically no chance of success, but it is a hindrance to the White House before the presidential elections in November 2024, in which Biden seeks to be re-elected.
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The conservatives, who have had the majority in the House of Representatives since January, accuse the Democratic leader of having used his influence when he was Barack Obama’s vice president (2009-2017) to allow his son Hunter to do business in China and Ukraine.
The beginning of the process was approved by 221 votes in favor and 212 against.
What the accusation against Joe Biden says
”Joe Biden repeatedly lied to the American people,” accused the head of the House of Representatives investigative committee, James Comer. The president, his son and the Democratic party in general deny the accusations, AFP reported.
”Instead of doing their job (…) they decide to waste time with this baseless political trick that even Republicans in Congress recognize is not supported by facts,” Biden reacted in a statement minutes after the vote.
Republicans Jim Jordan, James Comer and Jason Smith explain the reasons for the impeachment initiated against Joe Biden (Photo: Reuters) By: REUTERS
The opposition accuses the Democratic president of having used his influence when he was vice president of the United States in the Obama Administration to help his son Hunter and other relatives in alleged irregular businesses with “enemies” of the country.
During this time, according to the now president of the Lower House, also a Republican Mike Johnson, the Biden family received more than 15 million dollars from foreign companies and governments from Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Romania and China between 2014 and 2019. Their partners would have received another 9 million, reported EFE.
A few hours earlier, his son Hunter gave an unusual press conference in which he defended his father. “Let me say it as clearly as possible: my father had no financial involvement in my businesses,” said Hunter, who has become a favorite target of conservatives.
Before Congress, Hunter acknowledged “having made mistakes” in his life, but accused “the Trumpists,” that is, supporters of former Republican President Donald Trump, of trying to “dehumanize” him to “harm” his father.
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That is why he refused to attend a closed-door session organized by Republicans, who wanted him to appear before Congress. The president, 81, has always publicly supported Hunter Biden and has said on many occasions that he is “proud” of him.
A similar investigation against the Democratic president was opened a few months ago. It was made at the request of congressmen close to Trump, who could be his rival in the 2024 elections. At the end of September, a first parliamentary hearing was held during which experts agreed that currently nothing justifies an accusation against President Biden.
”There is no evidence that President Biden has committed any reprehensible act,” said House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries on Wednesday.
What is the impeachment process against Joe Biden like?
Republicans believe that the formal opening of the investigation, adopted solely with their votes, is a new possibility to incriminate the Democratic leader. ”The time has come to give answers to the American people,” said the Speaker of the House, Republican Mike Johnson, after the vote. This investigation will not be taken “lightly,” he warned.
The United States Constitution states that Congress can remove the president for treason, corruption and other serious crimes. The procedure takes place in two stages. After having carried out an investigation, the House of Representatives votes, by simple majority, on the articles of impeachment with the details of the facts that reproach the president: this is what is known as a political trial or “impeachment” in English.
If impeached, the Senate, the upper house of Congress, tries the president. If it reached this stage, it is highly likely that Biden would be acquitted, because his party has a majority. In the history of the United States no president has been impeached. Several have been impeached: Andrew Johnson in 1868, Bill Clinton in 1998 and Donald Trump in 2019 and 2021, but they were acquitted. Richard Nixon preferred to resign in 1974 to avoid possible impeachment by Congress due to the scandal. Watergate.
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