House Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced on Tuesday that he is directing the House Oversight Committee to open an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. This is in response to allegations that Biden may have abused his power as Vice President to benefit his son, Hunter Biden, who was on the board of directors of a Ukrainian energy company.
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Kevin McCarthy, Speaker of the US House of Representatives |
The impeachment inquiry is expected to focus on the following allegations:
- That Biden pressured the Ukrainian government to fire a prosecutor who was investigating Burisma Holdings, a Ukrainian natural gas company on whose board Hunter Biden served.
- That Biden used his position as Vice President to enrich his son Hunter Biden.
- That Biden lied about his knowledge of his son's business dealings in Ukraine.
The impeachment inquiry is likely to be a long and contentious process. It is unclear whether there is enough evidence to impeach Biden, but the inquiry is sure to further divide the United States along political lines.
Background
The allegations against Biden stem from his time as Vice President from 2009 to 2017. In 2016, Biden pressured the Ukrainian government to fire Viktor Shokin, the country's top prosecutor. Shokin was investigating Burisma Holdings, a Ukrainian natural gas company on whose board Hunter Biden served. Biden has said that he pressured Shokin to be fired because Shokin was corrupt and not doing his job.
Republicans have accused Biden of abusing his power to protect his son from corruption charges. They have also accused Biden of lying about his knowledge of his son's business dealings in Ukraine.
The Impeachment Inquiry
The impeachment inquiry is expected to be conducted by the House Oversight Committee. The committee will hold hearings and gather evidence. If the committee finds that there is enough evidence to support the allegations against Biden, it could vote to impeach him.
The full House of Representatives would then need to vote to impeach Biden. If Biden is impeached, he would then face a trial in the Senate. In order to be removed from office, Biden would need to be convicted by a two-thirds majority in the Senate.
The Political Divide
The impeachment inquiry is likely to be a long and contentious process. It is unclear whether there is enough evidence to impeach Biden, but the inquiry is sure to further divide the United States along political lines.
Republicans are largely supportive of the impeachment inquiry, while Democrats are largely opposed to it. The inquiry is likely to further energize both parties and could lead to a more polarized political climate in the United States.
The Future
It is too early to say what the outcome of the impeachment inquiry will be. However, the inquiry is a significant development and is sure to have a major impact on American politics.
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