House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, is reportedly set to inform House Republicans that initiating an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden is "the logical next step."
The House GOP conference has planned a meeting, led by key committee chairs, to provide updates on their ongoing investigations into the Biden family.
At the meeting, McCarthy is expected to propose that an impeachment inquiry should be the "logical next step" for the Republican majority. An impeachment inquiry is the initial step in the impeachment process, involving the gathering of evidence to support articles of impeachment against an official.
This special conference meeting follows a regularly scheduled weekly GOP meeting where leadership typically outlines the week's priorities. It is part of the ongoing discussions within the Republican Party regarding potential actions related to President Biden.
Three separate GOP-led committees have been investigating allegations that Hunter Biden, the President's son, used his father's official government positions to secure foreign business deals. The key question for Republicans is whether President Biden personally benefited from his son's deals or misused his office to influence them.
McCarthy has previously stated that an impeachment inquiry would only proceed with a formal House vote, emphasizing the need for the American people to have a voice through their elected representatives.
In order for an impeachment inquiry against President Biden to proceed, it would require the support of 218 lawmakers in the House of Representatives. Given the narrow margin in the House, with Republicans having only a small majority, it remains uncertain whether they have enough votes to initiate such an inquiry.
Some GOP lawmakers have expressed skepticism about impeachment, while others have raised concerns about its timing and its potential impact on other legislative priorities, such as government funding. The House Freedom Caucus and conservative members have urged McCarthy to push for deeper spending cuts and attach GOP priorities to any spending deal, although this is unlikely to gain Senate or White House approval.
Failure to secure support for an impeachment inquiry would be a significant setback for McCarthy and House Republicans, especially given the substantial resources invested in their investigations. On the other hand, some impeachment proponents within the party have threatened to challenge McCarthy's leadership if an impeachment vote does not take place. The situation reflects the divisions within the GOP on this issue.
