US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday announced that he is directing the House committees to open a formal impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden.
For several months, the Republicans have led inquiries into the business dealings of Biden's son Hunter, who is accused of corrupt dealings and benefitting from his father's name when he was the Vice President during 2008-16. It has been alleged that Hunter charged or at least sought huge sums of money for lobbying purposes for China- and Libya-related affairs during that period. He is also accused to introducing people to top-level US officials to get things done.
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The Republicans have alleged that Biden too had a role in the dealings of his son. These Republican-led Congressional inquiries are separate from an ongoing federal tax fraud case against Hunter.
McCarthy said the House Oversight Committee's investigation so far has found a "culture of corruption" around the Biden family.
"I am directing our House committees to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. Over the past several months, House Republicans have uncovered serious and credible allegations into President Biden’s conduct—a culture of corruption," said McCarthy.
McCarthy said the formal impeachment inquiry was the "logical next step".
"This logical next step will give our committees the full power to gather all the facts and answers for the American public is exactly what we want to know the answers. I believe the president would want to answer these questions and allegations as well," said McCarthy, as per NBC News.
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The formal impeachment would provide additional legal power to the Republican-led House’s investigations into the Biden family, noted NBC.
While ethically questionable conduct of Hunter has emerged in the Republican investigations and media reporting so far, evidence of direct wrongdoing or his father's involvement in those wrongdoings has not surfaced.
"The House Oversight Committee’s investigation, which focuses Hunter Biden’s meetings and payments from several foreign sources, has yet to produce direct evidence showing that the president either received this money or helped solicit it," noted NBC.
So far, the Republicans efforts have only shown a few instances largely during the time the elder Biden was Barack Obama's vice president when he spoke by phone with his son and stopped by dinners his son was hosting with business partners, reported Associated Press (AP).
The developments come in the run-up to the 2024 presidential elections as Donald Trump seeks the presidential nomination.
AP reported, "The White House has insisted Biden was not involved in his son's business dealings. And Democrats on the Oversight Committee are stepping up to fight against what they view as unfounded claims against Biden ahead of the 2024 election, as the president seeks reelection."
McCarthy's decision also comes at a time when he is also facing a crisis. He is under pressure from the far-right flank of the Republican lawmakers in the House, who risk his speakership and further risk plunging the government into a shutdown as the government funding is set to run out on September 30 unless a budget deal is cleared.
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"McCarthy’s move to endorse an impeachment inquiry into Biden comes amid pressure from right-wing Republicans, who are pushing back against a short-term funding bill to avert a government shutdown at the end of the month. McCarthy on Monday told reporters 'of course we can avoid a shutdown'. Asked about a short-term spending measure, called a continuing resolution, to fund the government past Sept. 30 while spending negotiations continue, McCarthy said that he would like to get the work done now rather than look to stopgap legislation," noted NBC.
