House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, intends to convey to House Republicans today that initiating an impeachment inquiry against President Biden represents “the logical next step.”
The House GOP conference has scheduled a meeting for Thursday morning, during which essential committee chairs will present their most recent findings and provide updates on the investigations into the Biden family. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio and House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer of Kentucky will lead this Thursday’s meeting.
During this gathering, McCarthy is anticipated to assert that launching an impeachment inquiry constitutes the “logical next step” for the Republican majority. An impeachment inquiry serves as the initial stage of the impeachment process, primarily focused on accumulating evidence for the articles, or charges, of impeachment against an official.
This special conference meeting on Thursday is an additional session alongside the regularly scheduled weekly GOP meeting that typically outlines the week’s priorities. Punchbowl News was the first to report the Thursday meeting.
Reports from sources previously indicated that Republicans were planning to commence an impeachment inquiry into Biden this month. Three committees led by GOP members have investigated allegations of Hunter Biden using his father’s government positions to secure foreign business deals. The central question for Republican lawmakers revolves around whether President Biden personally benefited from his son’s business transactions or misused the powers of his office to influence them.
McCarthy had previously stated that an impeachment inquiry would necessitate a formal House vote. He stressed the gravity of such a move and emphasized that House Republicans would not undertake it lightly or for political purposes.
This implies that 218 lawmakers would need to support an impeachment inquiry against Biden, and it remains uncertain whether House Republicans have sufficient votes for it—some GOP lawmakers, including Reps. Ken Buck of Colorado and Don Bacon of Nebraska, have expressed doubts about impeachment. Even among House conservatives who endorse impeachment, concerns have been raised about its timing. Rep. Dan Bishop of North Carolina suggested that McCarthy might use the issue as a bargaining chip to avoid a budget showdown before the government funding deadline.
President Biden and his son Hunter Biden have faced intense scrutiny from House GOP investigators regarding the Biden family’s alleged corrupt foreign business dealings.
The House Freedom Caucus and other conservative factions have urged McCarthy to push for deeper spending reductions and to attach GOP priorities to any short or long-term agreements. However, these measures are unlikely to gain Senate or White House approval. Critics view the previous debt-limit deal as a betrayal because it did not substantially curtail government spending.
House conservatives have cautioned McCarthy against employing impeachment as a diversion from addressing government spending. Given their slim majority in the House, Republicans can only afford to lose five votes from their conference in an impeachment inquiry vote. A rejection of impeachment by the House would represent a significant setback for McCarthy and House Republicans, leaving them with little to show voters in the upcoming general election.
Simultaneously, impeachment proponents, like Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, have threatened to take action against McCarthy if the House fails to follow through with an impeachment vote.
