On Tuesday, Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced that House Republicans will move forward with an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden concerning possible involvement in his son's business dealings.
“Today, I am directing our House committee to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden,” McCarthy said during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol.
McCarthy continued, calling the move the “logical next step” that will “give our committees the full power to gather the full facts and answers for the American public.”
“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.
Now, the House Oversight Committee chairman, James Comer, House Judiciary Committee chairman, Jim Jordan, and House Ways and Means Committee chairman, Jason Smith, will take the lead on the investigation into the president.
While some have criticized the move, McCarthy stressed that he doesn’t “not make this decision lightly.”
“Regardless of your party or who you voted for, these facts concern all Americans,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy had hinted at opening an impeachment inquiry into Biden and his son, Hunter, for weeks, saying it would most likely come after Congress returned from its August break.
The White House responded to McCarthy’s comments about an impeachment inquiry being a “natural step forward” last month. Spokesperson Ian Sams took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to say, “This crazy exercise is rooted not in facts [and] truth but partisan shamelessness.”
Sams also criticized McCarthy after he announced the impeachment inquiry, saying that he only decided to open it unilaterally, walking back his promise to put it to a vote.