McCarthy Launches Impeachment Investigation of Biden, a Long Shot – Coverage from Other Media Outlets

McCarthy Initiates Impeachment Inquiry into President Biden’s Son, Hunter Biden’s Business Dealings

In a move that could further divide the House of Representatives and impact the 2024 presidential race, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has initiated an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden. McCarthy’s decision sets the stage for months of hearings that could distract lawmakers from important legislative efforts, such as avoiding a government shutdown.

Republicans, who currently hold a narrow majority in the House, have accused President Biden of benefiting from his son’s foreign business ventures while serving as vice president from 2009 to 2017. However, previous investigations have failed to uncover any evidence of wrongdoing by President Biden.

“We will go where the evidence takes us,” McCarthy stated, emphasizing the need to follow the facts. The White House has dismissed the impeachment inquiry as “extreme politics at its worst,” with spokesperson Ian Sams calling it baseless.

The focus of the inquiry will be Hunter Biden’s business dealings in Ukraine, an issue that Republicans have been investigating since before they gained the majority in the House. Former President Donald Trump’s first impeachment was prompted by his requests to Ukraine to investigate the Bidens, as he prepared for a potential election challenge from Joe Biden.

Impeachment has become more commonplace in recent years, with former President Trump being impeached twice by the House but acquitted both times in the Senate. Many Republicans were angered by the impeachment proceedings against Trump and threatened to remove McCarthy as House leader if he did not pursue an impeachment effort against President Biden.

Apart from the congressional investigation, a federal prosecutor is also pursuing criminal charges related to Hunter Biden’s business activities, including tax and firearms charges. McCarthy claims that evidence of phone calls, money transfers, and other activities points to a “culture of corruption” within the Biden family, but he did not cite any evidence of misconduct by President Biden himself.

The impeachment inquiry will begin without a vote from the full House, which was held before Trump’s first impeachment. Although not required, such a vote would have added legitimacy to the effort. It remains unclear whether McCarthy had enough support within his narrow majority to secure a successful vote.

Republican Senator Mitt Romney, known for his moderate stance, expressed comfort with the impeachment inquiry, citing the White House’s silence on the matter as a reason for its appropriateness.

Democrats have criticized the inquiry as an attempt to divert attention from Republicans’ struggles to govern and Trump’s legal troubles. If spending bills to fund the government are not passed by October 1, a government shutdown could occur. Some hardline Republicans have stated that they would not vote for spending bills without an impeachment inquiry.

While the impeachment inquiry is unlikely to succeed in removing President Biden from office, it could have significant political implications. President Biden would need to be impeached by the House, followed by a two-thirds vote for conviction in the Senate, which is currently under Democratic control.

President Trump, who has been urging Republicans to impeach President Biden, is the only U.S. president to have been impeached twice. The House charged him with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress in 2019, and with inciting an insurrection following the attack on the Capitol in 2021. However, he was acquitted both times in the Senate, with Trump denouncing the efforts as politically motivated.

The impeachment inquiry into Hunter Biden’s business dealings adds to the list of impeachment proceedings throughout U.S. history. Only two other presidents, Bill Clinton in 1998 and Andrew Johnson in 1868, have been impeached. Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 before facing an impeachment vote.

Public opinion polls have shown that many Americans believe Hunter Biden has received special treatment due to his father’s position. However, opinions on the independence of Hunter Biden’s legal problems from his father’s presidency vary, with an August Reuters/Ipsos poll indicating that only 49% of respondents found it believable.

Original Story at www.tasnimnews.com – 2023-09-13 07:41:00