The president of the United States House of Representatives, Republican Kevin McCarthy, announced on Tuesday in a press conference that he gave the green light to the measures before an impeachment trial to Joe Biden for his son’s multi-million dollar business overseas. Thus began an investigation process that could lead to a vote in the House of Representatives itself, where the Republicans are the majority, and then to an impeachment trial in the Senate, which is controlled by the Democrats.
It was a concession by McCarthy to the far right wing of his party, who had been pressing for months for him to agree to take this step. To approve impeachment in the House, a simple majority is needed, which the Republicans have. To convict the president, and impeach him and remove him from office, more is needed: a supermajority in the Senate, without a party. So, as happened with both of Trump’s impeachment attempts, Biden’s was doomed from the start to fail in this final round.
Impeachment, originally designed as a constitutional last resort for serious cases of misconduct in office, has become a common tool in the political arsenal. In US history there have only been four presidents who have been subject to impeachment proceedings: Andrew Johnson in 1868, Bill Clinton in 1998, and Donald Trump in 2019 and 2021. Trump has the distinction of being the only president to face this process in two times.
As McCarthy said when making his announcement: “These are serious allegations of abuse of power, obstruction and corruption… They deserve further investigation by the House of Representatives. That is why I am now calling on the a House committee to open a formal impeachment investigation into President Joe Biden. We’ll see where the evidence takes us.
There is no proof
The issue of Biden’s son’s business in Ukraine and China has been linked to the previous impeachment process. In 2019, Democrats accused Trump of asking Ukraine to investigate Hunter Biden, as a condition. to receive military aid President Volodymyr Zelensky did not do what Trump asked him to do. Since then, no judicial investigation has found evidence that the current president has benefited from his son’s businesses. Hunter Biden is cooperating with the Prosecutor’s Office in an investigation accusing him of not paying taxes and illegal possession of weapons, although he is awaiting trial after a plea deal failed.
McCarthy appointed Representatives James Comer of Kentucky, Jason Smith of Missouri and Jim Jordan of Ohio to lead the investigation. The three are considered close to Trump, who has been impeached twice: for pressure on Ukraine and for looting the Capitol. There is currently no date for Biden’s impeachment trial. The presidential election is on November 5, 2024, so there is time for this to continue, even during the primaries. After his first impeachment, Trump rose in the polls.
The Chamber is renewed every two years, so on November 5, along with the presidential elections, the legislative elections will be held.
According to Biden adviser Ian Sams: “House Republicans have been investigating the president for nine months and have found no evidence of wrongdoing. Members of the party themselves have said so. McCarthy himself promised hold a vote to see if it is appropriate to open a political trial, and now he has withdrawn because he does not have enough support. “This is political extremism at its worst.”
McCarthy has led the House since January, after his party narrowly won the midterms a year ago. He enjoys a small majority, and needs the almost uninterrupted support of his bank for any approach. The most radical deputies of his party have demanded that the impeachment trial be opened since he took office. In fact, they even voted against his candidacy to lead the House and forced him to run 15 times until he won the position.
The Chamber is renewed every two years, so on November 5, with the presidential elections, the legislative elections will be held. That’s where Republicans risk their majority and Democrats hope to retain control of the Senate.
The latter was criticized as having broken the legislature. Responding to the decision, Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called it “regrettable, reckless and despicable.” “It’s political revenge,” he said on social network X, formerly Twitter.
Does not accept questions
In making the announcement, McCarthy spoke for only three minutes before leaving the podium, taking no questions. His decision comes at a critical time, as the House faces a September 30 deadline to fund the Government and avoid a shutdown like in 2018 and 2019. The Republican leader is trying to get support in his party for of a financing bill by lawmakers from the far right wing of the party.
What is surprising is that for the radical wing of the Republican Party, McCarthy’s announcement was not enough. One of Trump’s closest representatives, Matt Gaetz, took credit for the success of opening this impeachment trial, but asked for more. “It’s a small step after weeks of pressure on the part of conservatives in the House to do more,” Gaetz said. “We have to move faster.” Gaetz accused McCarthy of breaking an agreement the California Republican made to gain enough support to be elected speaker of the House in January. President, you have violated the agreement that allowed you to assume this position. The way forward for the House of Representatives is to bring him to immediate and full compliance with the agreement, or to remove him following a motion to vacate the Presidency.
The interesting thing is that for the radical wing of the Republican Party, McCarthy’s announcement was not enough.
The impeachment process is complicated, and takes months. After the initial investigations opened today by McCarthy, a deputy of the House will present a resolution of impeachment that is reviewed by the Committee on the Judiciary. If the articles of impeachment are approved, a simple majority in the House is needed to move to the Senate, where the trial will take place with prosecution and defense. A Senate conviction is required the vote of two thirds of the senators. To date, no US president has been removed from office through this process, despite numerous impeachment attempts throughout the country’s history.
In the two trials opened against Trump, the Republicans criticized the political motivations and refused to cooperate, voting against any motion, including the one opened after the ransack of the Capitol. Now it is Justice that is investigating Trump for his false allegations of fraud and for allegedly inciting rebellion in 2021.
