The U.S. House of Representatives, predominantly led by Republicans, voted on Wednesday to officially authorize the continuation of its impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, despite the absence of concrete evidence supporting allegations against the Democrat.
In a party-line vote of 221-212, the Republican-majority chamber sanctioned the investigation, which focused on scrutinizing whether Biden illicitly gained advantages from his son Hunter Biden's international business dealings. This decision followed Hunter Biden's refusal to testify privately.
Despite the lack of substantiated facts and the White House dismissing the inquiry as politically motivated, the House proceeded with the authorization. Biden, gearing up for a potential 2024 election rematch with former President Donald Trump, faces a probe reminiscent of Trump's historic dual impeachment, with four pending criminal trials.
While the initiative is unlikely to result in Biden's removal from office, as a two-thirds majority Senate vote is required for conviction, it serves as a platform for Republicans to underscore their corruption allegations during the 2024 campaign.
This vote comes three months after Republicans informally initiated the investigation, and while not mandatory for the removal of a president, the authorization provides legal leverage for Republicans to compel cooperation from Biden's administration.
Republicans allege that Biden and his family profited from his tenure as vice president under Barack Obama, particularly focusing on Hunter's business ventures in Ukraine and China. However, no evidence has been presented demonstrating that Biden took official actions to benefit these businesses or financially gain from them.
Biden criticized House Republicans for prioritizing attacks over addressing domestic priorities and providing emergency funding for Ukraine and Israel. He asserted that they are spreading lies instead of working towards improving the lives of Americans.
Hunter Biden, who defied a committee subpoena to testify privately, emphasized that there is no evidence supporting claims of his father's financial involvement in his business. Despite this, members of the committee contemplate holding him in contempt of Congress.
While some House Republicans view the inquiry as a fact-finding exercise, Democrats argue that it lacks legitimacy. The investigation delves into the alleged improprieties of the Biden family during Joe Biden's vice-presidential tenure, with a focus on Hunter's activities.
Trump, currently the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, faced two impeachments during his presidency, one for pressuring Ukraine and another for challenging the election results. Both attempts failed in the Senate. Hunter Biden is concurrently under investigation for federal charges related to his drug use and tax payments, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
