Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy announced an impending impeachment investigation into President Joe Biden, who is believed to have made false statements about his involvement in foreign business deals.
“House Republicans have uncovered serious and credible allegations into President Biden’s conduct. Taken together, these allegations paint a picture of a culture of corruption,” said McCarthy during a public address on Sept. 12.
McCarthy summarized the allegations against Biden, stating:
Now here is what we know so far: Through our investigation, we have found that President Biden did lie to the American people about his own knowledge about his family’s foreign business dealings. Eyewitnesses have testified that the president joined on multiple phone calls and had multiple interactions – dinners that resulted in cars and millions of dollars [to] his son and his son’s business partners. We know that bank records show that nearly $20 million in payments were directed to the Biden family members and associates through various shell companies. The Treasury Department alone has more than 150 transactions involving the Biden family and other business associates that were flagged as suspicious activities by U.S. banks. Even a trusted FBI informant has alleged a bribe to the Biden family.
Biden used his official office to coordinate with Hunter Biden’s business partners about Hunter’s role in Burisma, the Ukrainian energy company. Finally, despite these serious allegations, it appears that the president’s family has been offered special treatment by Biden’s own administration. Treatment that not otherwise would have [been] received if they were not related to the president.
“These are allegations of abuse of power, obstruction, and corruption and they warrant further investigation by the House of Representatives,” said the Republican.
McCarthy will direct the House committee to open a formal impeachment inquiry into Biden, calling the move the “logical next step” that would give the committee the “full power to gather all the facts and answers for the American public.”
“I believe the president would want to answer these questions and allegations as well,” added the speaker.
The impeachment inquiry will be led by Congressman James Comer of Kentucky, the chairman of the Committee on Oversight, in coordination with Congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and Congressman Jason Smith of Missouri, the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee.
“I do not make this decision lightly. And regardless of your party or who you voted for, these facts should concern all Americans,” said McCarthy. “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.”
He urged Biden and his team to fully cooperate with the investigation “in the interest of transparency.”
“We will go wherever the evidence takes us,” McCarthy concluded. He did not take any questions from the press.
Democrats balked at McCarthy’s announcement and accused Republicans of not representing the interest of the American people.
Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz said House Republicans are “succumbing to Donald Trump, and they are allowing Donald Trump to hold our economy hostage” and “giving in to their extreme MAGA wing.”
“The House has to vote to move forward on an impeachment, period,” she added, per Mediaite. “They don’t need to move forward on impeachment other than Donald Trump has pressured them, that they are a wholly-owned subsidiary of his campaign, and they are giving into their extreme MAGA Republicans because Kevin McCarthy knows that one member can move to remove him. And the only thing he cares about is holding onto power.”
“I think the impeachment inquiry is absurd,” New York Senator Chuck Schumer told reporters in Washington, D.C. “The American people want us to do something that will make their lives better, not go off on these chases and witch hunts.”
