House Republicans are inching closer to opening an impeachment inquiry in light of the testimony given by two IRS whistleblowers regarding the government’s handling of the investigation into Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, earlier this summer. A senior GOP aide believes that with new evidence uncovered by their committee investigators, there is momentum toward opening an impeachment inquiry. September is expected to be a critical month, with Attorney General Merrick Garland’s anticipated testimony before the House Judiciary Committee.
The disagreement between Garland and the two IRS whistleblowers, Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, centers around whether then-U.S. Attorney David Weiss had the authority to bring charges in the five-year probe. Garland initially stated that Weiss had the power to make decisions on prosecution. However, he later revealed that Weiss had asked to continue the investigation as a special counsel and had been granted expanded powers. This conflicting information has raised questions from Republicans.
Following the whistleblowers’ testimony, the House GOP-led Ways and Means Committee has subpoenaed two senior IRS officials who have direct knowledge of a key meeting in October 2022, where the investigation into Hunter Biden was discussed. The committee chairman, Rep. Jason Smith, has requested transcribed interviews with Michael Batdorf and Darrell Waldon after they refused to voluntarily cooperate. The committee believes that these interviews will shed light on the investigation.
The subpoenas have faced criticism from the committee’s Democrats, who accuse the majority of cherry-picking information. They argue that there are more than 59 individuals with relevant information and that sending only two subpoenas is premature. However, House Republicans are committed to seeking the truth and will discuss the potential impeachment inquiry when they reconvene in September.
In addition to the impeachment inquiry, House Republicans will also be discussing government spending when they return in September. If funding for the government is not secured by the end of September, there could be a government shutdown. This would result in a halt of non-essential government work, including investigations in the House and Senate. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has stated that GOP-led investigations would be suspended in the event of a government shutdown, potentially incentivizing Republicans to support short-term funding to keep the government running.
Overall, the developments surrounding the Hunter Biden investigation and the potential impeachment inquiry warrant closer attention as they have significant implications for the Biden administration and the political landscape in the coming months.