Speaker Kevin McCarthy has directed top congressional Republicans to open an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. This move comes as far-right House Republicans express their anger over spending and threaten to remove McCarthy from his position. McCarthy has tasked three committees – Oversight, Judiciary, and Ways and Means – with investigating potential financial wrongdoing or corruption by the president and his family.
By supporting an impeachment inquiry, McCarthy aims to give congressional investigators more power to examine Biden’s family finances. The decision not to hold a full House vote on the matter suggests that McCarthy lacks the necessary support among Republicans to move forward with the inquiry.
While Republicans argue that they have uncovered serious allegations of misconduct by President Biden, they have yet to find concrete evidence connecting him to any wrongdoing. They have, however, received enough information to warrant further investigation in their opinion.
If the impeachment inquiry is approved, House investigators will issue subpoenas for the bank records of President Biden and his family members. Republicans hope that these records will shed light on any potential financial improprieties.
McCarthy’s decision to support an impeachment inquiry comes amid pressure from his right flank, with Representative Matt Gaetz planning to make a case against him. Gaetz and other conservatives believe that McCarthy has failed to fulfill his promises as speaker and have criticized his handling of the budget process and his perceived inaction against President Biden.
In response to the Republicans’ efforts, Democrats are preparing to defend President Biden. Representative Jamie Raskin and his committee have been strategizing on how to counter the Republican investigation. Democrats have released a memo outlining what they view as the failure of the Republican investigation into Biden, emphasizing that no evidence of wrongdoing has been found.
While this impeachment inquiry is a significant development, it remains to be seen whether McCarthy will be able to gather enough support to proceed with it. The investigation will likely fuel further partisan divisions in Congress and impact the legislative agenda moving forward.