United States House of Representatives speaker, Kevin McCarthy announced Tuesday, September 12 that House committees will open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, accusing him of profiting off his son’s foreign business deals.
The move comes amid increasing pressure from the right flank of his party to move ahead with the inquiry, including some members who have threatened to oust McCarthy from his speakership if he does not move swiftly enough on an impeachment inquiry.
McCarthy is also reportedly trying to secure votes as part of negotiations to keep the government funded beyond the September 30 deadline to avert a shutdown.
“These are allegations of abuse of power, obstruction and corruption,” the California Republican said in remarks outside his office on Capitol Hill. “They warrant further investigation by the House of Representatives. That’s why today I am directing our House (committees) to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.”
The House-led GOP investigations haven’t yet published or revealed any direct evidence that the president financially benefited from Hunter Biden’s career overseas.
White House spokesman for oversight and investigations Ian Sams called it “extreme politics at its worst.”
“House Republicans have been investigating the President for 9 months, and they’ve turned up no evidence of wrongdoing…His own GOP members have said so…He vowed to hold a vote to open impeachment, now he flip flopped because he doesn’t have support… Extreme politics at its worst,” Sams said in a post to X.
Prior to making the impeachment announcement, McCarthy gave his leadership team and committee chairs a heads up, according to multiple sources.
The three panels expected to start the impeachment include House Judiciary Committee, led by Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio; the House Oversight Committee, led by Rep. James Comer of Kentucky; and the House Ways and Means Committee, led by Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri. All three have been involved into investigations into the Biden family.
McCarthy and other prominent House Republicans are also expected to make a pitch at a Thursday special conference meeting on Republican-led congressional investigations.