U.S. House of Representatives speaker Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday announced that Republican members are initiating an impeachment inquiry against Democratic President Joe Biden. The move comes after several months of investigations into the foreign business activities of Biden's son, Hunter Biden.
Petinently, former President Donald Trump, who faced two impeachments during his tenure, a historical occurrence during the Democratic-controlled House era, is voicing support for this inquiry. Trump, currently the leading contender for the Republican nomination in the upcoming U.S. presidential election, has faced four distinct criminal charges this year.
Are There Enough Votes In The House?
McCarthy found himself under increasing pressure from the more conservative members of his party. Representative Matt Gaetz hinted that McCarthy's speakership might be in jeopardy unless he endorsed impeachment, while Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene firmly declared her refusal to support government funding without an impeachment inquiry vote.
What Is The Senate's Role In The Impeachment Process?
According to the Constitution, once the House of Representatives has impeached an official, the Senate is responsible for conducting a trial. To remove the official from office, a two-thirds majority in the Senate is required.
Dick Durbin, the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate and the leader of its Judiciary Committee, has indicated that if the House impeaches President Biden, the Senate would be obliged to address the matter.
It is unlikely that the Senate will find President Biden guilty in the trial, given that his Democratic Party holds the majority, and some Republicans have expressed a lack of interest in an impeachment trial.
It's worth noting that no president has ever been removed from office by the Senate through impeachment proceedings.
What Evidence Exists?
Republicans have cited a U.S. government document in which an informant mentions the head of Burisma, a Ukrainian company where Hunter Biden served on the board of directors. In this document, the informant claims that "it cost 5 (million) to pay one Biden, and 5 (million) to another Biden," suggesting alleged payments to two members of the Biden family.
