U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) announced Tuesday that he is directing House Republicans to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden over allegations of abuse of power, obstruction, and corruption.
[RELATED: Majority of Americans Think Biden Was Involved in Hunter’s Business Dealings: CNN Poll]
“House Republicans have uncovered serious and credible allegations into President Biden’s conduct,” McCarthy told reporters outside his office Tuesday. “Taken together, these allegations paint a picture of a culture of corruption.”
McCarthy referenced revelations made by GOP-led House Committees regarding Biden’s involvement in his family’s overseas business dealings, bank records showing nearly $20 million in payments from foreign sources to the Biden family and their business associates, and politically motivated interference in the Justice Department’s investigation into Hunter Biden.
“These are allegations of abuse of power, obstruction, and corruption, and they warrant further investigation by House of Representatives,” McCarthy said.
“That’s why today I am directing our House committee to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden,” he said. “This logical next step will give our committees the full power to gather all the facts and answers for the American public.”
McCarthy said that the inquiry will be led by Oversight, Judiciary, and Ways and Means Committee Chairmen James Comer (R-Ky.), Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), and Jason Smith (R-Mo.).
“The American people deserve to know that the public offices are not for sale, and that the federal government is not being used to cover up the actions of a politically associated family,” McCarthy added.
“We will go wherever the evidence takes us,” he concluded, without taking questions from reporters.
A McCarthy spokesperson told ABC News that McCarthy is not expected to hold a full House vote to launch the impeachment inquiry Tuesday.
The House Speaker has been under pressure from within the Republican Party to move forward with the impeachment process, with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) threatening to vote against government spending bills until the impeachment inquiry was launched.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) called the impeachment inquiry a “baby step,” and continued his calls for McCarthy to be ousted from his role as Speaker unless he complies with his demands.
“We haven’t even sent the first subpoena to Hunter Biden,” Gaetz said. “That’s how you know that the rushed and, you know, somewhat rattled performance you just saw from the Speaker isn’t real.”
“[The] only thing the 118th Congress is known for at this point is electing Kevin McCarthy as speaker and underwriting Biden’s debt, and unfortunately, there’s only one of those things we can remediate at this time,” he said.
“No continuing resolutions — individual spending bills or bust. Votes on balanced budgets and term limits. Subpoenas for Hunter Biden and the members of the Biden family who’ve been grifting off of this country. And the impeachment for Joe Biden that he so richly deserves,” Gaetz listed as his key demands. “Do these things or face a motion to vacate the chair.”
White House Spokesperson Ian Sams called McCarthy’s move “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 wrote on X Tuesday in response to McCarthy’s announcement.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="22083 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=22083">2 Comments
Gaetz, Greene and Bobert are absolutely on the right track with their comments. We need action from our conservative elected politicians. There seems to be plenty of proof that points to impeachment for Biden and Jail for his family members. Get it done! No more excessive spending bills. Get the budget done on time and no more continued resolutions. Stop the excessive spending on wasted projects including welfare. Reduce spending by 10% a year from 2022 levels for 2 years and then 5% a year for 8 more years. This will give some orderly withdrawal from current programs. Now make a nation where manufacturing and business can flourish and those let go from government because of the spending reductions can get jobs there! Mandate the $$$$ saved must be used to start paying down the MASSIVE debt! It will take a lot of work and 23,000 pages of attorneyspeak to get there, so start NOW!
“House Republicans have uncovered serious and credible allegations into President Biden’s conduct,” McCarthy told reporters outside his office Tuesday. “Taken together, these allegations paint a picture of a culture of corruption.” A complete lie