WASHINGTON (AP) — The House is pushing toward a vote Wednesday to formally authorize the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden as Republicans rally behind the charged process despite lingering concerns among some in the party that the investigation has yet to produce evidence of misconduct by the president.
The vote comes as House Speaker Mike Johnson and his leadership team face growing pressure to show progress in what has become a nearly yearlong probe centered around the business dealings of Biden’s family members. While their investigation has raised ethical questions, no evidence has emerged that Biden acted corruptly or accepted bribes in his current role or previous office as vice president.
Ahead of the vote, Johnson called it “the next necessary step.” He acknowledged there are “a lot of people who are frustrated this hasn’t moved faster.“
But Johnson said on Fox News he believes the resolution will pass the House and “we’ll be in the best position to do our constitutional responsibility.”
President Biden’s impeachment inquiry
Here’s what it means, and what’s to come.
- What is an impeachment inquiry? It is an investigation of possible wrongdoing by a federal official, such as the president of the United States, Cabinet officials or judges.
- Why are Republicans pursuing it against Biden? Since gaining the House majority in January, House Republicans have aggressively investigated Biden and his son, Hunter, claiming without evidence that they engaged in an influence-peddling scheme.
- Does this mean that Biden will be impeached? Not necessarily. While all inquiries opened in recent history have resulted in the impeachment of a president, Republicans have been treading carefully around the term and its potential political implications.
