In a surprising move, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced on Tuesday that an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden would be launched. This decision has been met with criticism, with Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman calling it a “deeply unserious move.”[0] McCarthy's decision to initiate the inquiry comes despite the lack of evidence of any wrongdoing by President Biden and the insufficient support from his own party.
The primary allegation against President Biden is that he lied to the American people about his knowledge of his family's foreign business dealings, particularly those involving his son Hunter Biden. McCarthy claims that there is evidence to suggest that Joe Biden interacted with Hunter as he used his family name to secure foreign business deals. While some staunch far-right Republicans argue that this is enough to justify impeachment, many conservative lawmakers have yet to see direct evidence that meets the threshold for impeachable offenses.[1]
Despite the lack of concrete evidence, McCarthy believes that the allegations uncovered so far warrant further investigation by the House.[2] He accuses President Biden of lying about his knowledge of his family's overseas business dealings and alleges that bank records show that the president's family members made millions of dollars from foreign firms. McCarthy also claims that Hunter Biden received special treatment from the Biden administration.[2]
It is worth noting that McCarthy's decision to launch an impeachment inquiry represents a change in his previous stance on the matter.[3] Just a few weeks ago, McCarthy stated that he would only support a formal impeachment if there was a vote of the full House.[1] This change in direction can be attributed to McCarthy's realization that there would not be enough votes to open an inquiry on the House floor. This decision has left McCarthy in a politically tight spot, as he must navigate the demands of a fractured majority while also avoiding alienating moderate and swing-district Republicans.[4]
Critics argue that McCarthy's impeachment inquiry is a partisan political stunt meant to distract from the legal troubles of former President Donald Trump and damage President Biden's chances of re-election. A recent survey conducted in Biden-won districts represented by Republicans found that a majority of respondents viewed the impeachment inquiry as a political stunt rather than an earnest attempt to find the truth.[5]
While McCarthy and his supporters believe that the impeachment inquiry will lead to the discovery of evidence of Biden's crimes, many argue that this is a backwards approach. The evidence should be what leads to the pursuit of an impeachment inquiry, not the other way around.[6]
In conclusion, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's decision to launch an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden has been met with criticism and skepticism. The lack of evidence of any wrongdoing by President Biden, coupled with the insufficient support from his own party, raises questions about the seriousness and legitimacy of this move. As the investigation unfolds, it remains to be seen whether McCarthy's claims will hold up and whether they will have any impact on President Biden's presidency.
0. “John Fetterman's Reaction to Biden Impeachment Is All We Care About” The New Republic, 12 Sep. 2023, https://newrepublic.com/post/175526/john-fetterman-reaction-biden-impeachment
1. “Kevin McCarthy directs House committees to open Biden impeachment inquiry” The Washington Post, 12 Sep. 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/09/12/mccarthy-biden-impeachment/
2. “McCarthy announces Biden impeachment inquiry, escalating GOP probes into family's business dealings” CBS News, 12 Sep. 2023, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kevin-mccarthy-impeachment-inquiry-president-biden-hunter-biden/
3. “House GOP announces formal impeachment inquiry into Biden” Roll Call , 12 Sep. 2023, https://rollcall.com/2023/09/12/house-gop-announces-formal-impeachment-inquiry-into-biden/
4. “Texas congressional Democrats say impeaching Biden is “not comparable” to Trump impeachments” The Texas Tribune, 12 Sep. 2023, https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/12/texas-congress-biden-impeach-trump/
5. “The GOP's Ill-Fated Biden Impeachment Inquiry Will Cost Republicans the House | Opinion” Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2023, https://www.newsweek.com/gops-ill-fated-biden-impeachment-inquiry-may-cost-republicans-house-opinion-1826542
6. “House speaker Kevin McCarthy announces impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden” The Guardian US, 12 Sep. 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/sep/12/biden-impeachment-kevin-mccarthy-announcement
