The House is expected to vote soon on whether to formally authorize an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, according to multiple reports.
Republican leaders in the House hope to hold the vote next week, Fox News reported Monday, citing unidentified sources. At a news conference Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson highlighted that the vote would allow the impeachment inquiry to continue.
“This vote is not a vote to impeach President Biden,” he said. “This is a vote to continue the inquiry of impeachment, and it’s a necessary constitutional step.”
The Louisiana Republican accused the White House of “stonewalling” the investigation, which is focused on whether Biden and his family engaged in corrupt business practices. He called the expected vote “a legal decision” and “not a political decision.”
“The House has no choice, if it’s going to follow its constitutional responsibility, to formally adopt an impeachment inquiry on the floor so that when the subpoenas are challenged in court we will be at the apex of our Constitutional authority,” he said. Later, he added, “whether someone is for or against impeachment is of no import right now.”
Then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy directed House committees to begin investigating whether Biden and his family engaged in corrupt business practices in September. Far-right lawmakers have been pushing for action against Biden, accusing the president of corruption, NPR reported. House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan told reporters Monday that Republicans could charge Biden with bribery, abuse of power and obstruction, though he added that “we’ll look at all the facts and make a decision.”
“We don’t know that there are going to be articles yet, but I think the case is pretty compelling,” he said, according to NPR.
[ McCarthy tells House committee to open Biden impeachment inquiry ]
The president has denied the allegations, with the White House calling the impeachment inquiry “illegitimate” on Tuesday, NBC News reported. White House officials highlighted that several GOP lawmakers have said they have not seen evidence of wrongdoing.
“Despite this reality, the far right is calling the shots and demanding House Republicans continue down this path of failure,” the White House has said, according to NBC News.
Jordan said the key allegation against Biden involves a claim that as vice president, he abused his powers to pressure Ukraine to fire a prosecutor who was investigating Ukrainian energy company Burisma, CNN reported. At the time of the alleged incident, Biden’s son, Hunter, was serving on the firm’s board.
The allegation has been debunked, according to CNN. As of Tuesday, House Republicans have not released any direct evidence showing that the president benefited from his son’s business dealings in Ukraine or elsewhere, The Washington Post reported.
The vote on whether to continue the inquiry is expected to come during the House’s last week in session before the holidays.