Speaker McCarthy announces impeachment inquiry into President Biden

Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced Tuesday House Republicans will move ahead with an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.

“Today, I am directing our House committee to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden,” McCarthy said at the U.S. Capitol.

“This logical next step will give our committees the full power to gather the full facts and answers for the American public,” he added. “That’s exactly what we want to know — the answers. I believe the president would want to answer these questions and allegations as well.”

McCarthy said House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer, House Judiciary Committee chairman Jim Jordan and House Ways and Means Committee chairman Jason Smith will lead the inquiry.

“I do not make this decision lightly,” the speaker said. “Regardless of your party, or who you voted for, these facts concern all Americans.”

McCarthy has made it clear there will be a vote for an impeachment inquiry, but as of now he doesn’t appear to have the votes to open one.

A campaign to persuade holdouts like GOP Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., is already underway. Buck will receive a briefing from the House Oversight Committee staff this week on the investigations into President Biden, according to sources familiar.

McCarthy has signaled a Biden impeachment inquiry for weeks in order to obtain bank records and other documents from Biden and his son, Hunter.

Back in August, McCarthy told Fox News, an impeachment inquiry would provide “Congress the apex of legal power to get all the information they need.” So far, Republicans have not been able to prove any wrongdoing by President Biden.

White House spokesperson Ian Sams responded to McCarthy’s comments at the time in a social media post: “‘A natural step forward’ based on what?”

“This crazy exercise is rooted not in facts [and] truth but partisan shamelessness,” Sams wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

McCarthy claimed on Monday House Republicans, during the August recess, uncovered “serious and credible allegations into President Biden’s conduct. Taken together these allegations paint a picture of a culture of corruption.”

The announcement of a formal impeachment inquiry comes as McCarthy looks to stave off a possible revolt from conservative hard-liners and avoid a government shutdown.

The House returns from recess on Tuesday with a fast-approaching Sept. 30 deadline to pass a spending measure to keep the government open. House Republican leaders are looking to pass a continuing resolution, or a short-term funding extension, to buy more time to hammer out the details of a broader appropriations package.

But members of the House Freedom Caucus — the same group that held up McCarthy’s ascension to the speakership and opposed his debt limit deal with President Biden — have said they would not support a continuing resolution unless it includes certain language on border security and “weaponization of the DOJ.” The group is also opposed to further aid to Ukraine, potentially putting the House at odds with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell.

Amid the tension, Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz has publicly threatened to bring a motion to vacate against McCarthy. The motion would force a vote on whether McCarthy should continue on as speaker.

McCarthy brushed off the threat, telling reporters on Monday evening: “He should go ahead and do it… Matt’s, Matt.”

“We got a lot of work — we got a lot in September to do. We’re gonna get our work done just as we’ve been doing,” McCarthy added.