Although House Republicans voted Wednesday to formalize an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, GOP leadership has made a point to indicate the move does not mean impeaching the president is inevitable, even as pressure grows within the party and among the Republican base.
“We won’t prejudge the outcome of this because we can’t,” stated House Speaker Mike Johnson to reporters on Tuesday. “It’s not a political calculation. We’re following the law, and we are the rule of law team, and I’m going to hold to that.”
Biden criticized the House vote on Wednesday night, labeling it a “baseless political stunt that even Republicans in Congress admit is not supported by facts.” Although House Republicans
Until now, House Republicans lacked the necessary votes to validate their ongoing inquiry into the alleged foreign business dealings of the Biden family through a comprehensive chamber vote. The investigation has faced challenges in uncovering any wrongdoing by the president, leading to a lack of unified support from the entire GOP conference. The impetus for Wednesday’s vote arose from the White House asserting that the subpoenas from the three GOP-led congressional committees spearheading the investigation were invalid without a formal House vote to authorize the inquiry. This stance compelled some hesitant, more moderate Republican lawmakers to align with their party’s investigative endeavors.
This scenario mirrors the Trump administration’s argument against House Democrats during the onset of his 2019 impeachment. According to several GOP lawmakers and aides, proponents of the Republican effort argue that a floor vote will enhance their legal standing against the White House and reinforce their subpoenas to secure crucial witness testimony.