Trump had to endure two impeachment proceedings as US President. Now the Republicans are making preparations for a possible Biden impeachment. What does this reveal about the initiator?
The initiation of investigations into possible impeachment proceedings against US President Joe Biden is met with skepticism in the Republican ranks. Several politicians from both chambers of Congress expressed doubts about the initiative of their party colleague, Kevin McCarthy.
The chairman of the House of Representatives announced yesterday that he had ordered investigations for so-called impeachment proceedings. There are credible allegations that Biden was involved in his son Hunter’s illegal business. Further research is necessary for this.
It is unclear whether impeachment proceedings could ultimately be opened. The chances of success of such a procedure are considered to be low anyway. Biden’s Democrats are talking about revenge and pure campaign tactics. Above all, the move shows the pressure McCarthy is under.
What it’s about
The Republicans, with their majority in the House of Representatives, have been pushing ahead with investigations into the Biden family’s financial dealings for months. Among other things, it concerns Hunter Biden’s business dealings abroad and whether Joe Biden, as US Vice President at the time, could have used his political influence for this.
“These are allegations of abuse of power, cover-up and corruption, and they warrant further investigation,” McCarthy said. A White House spokesman countered that in nine months the Republicans had found no evidence of wrongdoing by Biden.
What other Republicans say
While some Republicans welcomed McCarthy’s move, other party colleagues were unusually open with skepticism. Representative Ken Buck told NBC that he needed to see evidence – so far he had not been able to see any connection between Joe Biden and his son’s business. “Therefore, I hesitate to agree with Chairman McCarthy.”
An unnamed Republican senator told The Hill: “This is a waste of time. This is useless.” In the Senate, which would ultimately have to decide on impeachment, there would be no chance of Biden being found guilty, he emphasized. The whole thing is not helpful in the election campaign.
Republican Senator Shelley Moore Capito told the portal that the action was “frustrating.” Senior Senate Republican John Thune said McCarthy was under great pressure in his group. “I don’t think it would be beneficial to move this forward with all the other things we have to do.”
What McCarthy’s announcement means specifically
What caused a surprise was that McCarthy simply announced that he had “instructed” the relevant committees to investigate – instead of scheduling a vote on it in the House of Representatives. He had previously emphasized that there had to be a vote in the chamber before investigations could start.
US media reported that there were not enough votes among Republicans for the initiative. Therefore, McCarthy rushed forward alone to appease right-wing MPs who have long been calling for the start of impeachment proceedings against Biden – as well as the former Republican US President Donald Trump.
Why McCarthy is under so much pressure
McCarthy is in a very weak position. In January, as a result of an internal rebellion, the Republican was elevated to the most important post in the House of Representatives only after 15 rounds of voting. Several MPs from the right-wing fringe of the parliamentary group were asked to vote for him for a long time and have since been expecting concessions from him in return. They also implemented a clause that would make it easier for the chairman to be removed from office in case of doubt.
Right-wing parts of the group put pressure on McCarthy not only on the impeachment issue, but also with regard to the federal budget. Congress must pass the federal budget by the end of the month, otherwise government business will come to a standstill, a “shutdown”. Right-wing Republicans are calling for major cuts in spending and otherwise want to sabotage the budget’s passage. A hardliner, Matt Gaetz, called for further action from McCarthy here yesterday, called the impeachment push just a “baby step” and blatantly threatened to force a vote of no confidence against McCarthy.
What the further procedure looks like
In order to actually open impeachment proceedings against Biden after investigations, a majority in the House of Representatives would be necessary. The Republicans have a slim majority there. But the faction is extremely fragmented, and McCarthy has had great difficulty closing his own ranks since he started.
Even if there were a majority in the House of Representatives, the Senate would ultimately have to decide whether to impeach Biden. However, Biden’s Democrats have a narrow majority in the Senate. It is therefore virtually impossible for the president to be removed from office at the end. Theoretically, the Republicans could simply carry the investigation long into the election year in order to continually produce unpleasant headlines for Biden – without forcing the process any further.
How impeachment proceedings become a political weapon
Impeachment proceedings against a president are actually intended as a last resort. Never before has it been on the agenda as frequently as in the past few years. Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said yesterday: “I wonder if the threshold or the bar for impeachment seems to get lower every year.” During Trump’s term in office, the Democrats in Congress initiated two impeachment proceedings against him – this is unique in US history.
Trump was acquitted in both cases by the Senate, where his party was in charge at the time. Democrats see the fact that the Republicans are now moving to impeach Biden after the change of power in Congress as an act of political revenge – also because Trump is now facing four charges in criminal proceedings. Like Biden, Trump wants to run again in the presidential election in November 2024.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
