WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. House of Representatives, led by a Republican majority, initiated its first hearing on Thursday as part of an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden. The hearing comes days before a critical deadline to avert a government shutdown.
The House Oversight Committee, chaired by James Comer, aims to justify the probe rather than present new evidence against the President. The allegations primarily concern Biden’s financial ties to his son, Hunter Biden, and potential abuse of power during his vice presidency under the Obama administration between 2009 and 2017.
Testimonies are expected from a forensic accountant, a former Justice Department official, and a law professor. While Republicans allege personal profits for the Biden family stemming from his vice-presidential policies, they have yet to produce conclusive evidence. The White House has dismissed these allegations as politically motivated, especially in the context of the upcoming 2024 presidential election.
The House Republicans, holding a narrow 221-212 majority, may not have sufficient votes to impeach Biden. Even if they did, a conviction in the Senate, where Democrats hold a 51-49 majority, appears improbable.
The crux of the allegations centers on Biden’s supposed pressure on Ukraine to fire a prosecutor investigating a company where Hunter Biden was a board member. However, Ukraine’s former president, Petro Poroshenko, has refuted these claims.
The inquiry’s timeline could be affected by the ongoing government funding deadlock. A protracted government shutdown would hinder the impeachment proceedings, as fewer administration officials would be available for information requests.
This inquiry unfolds as former President Donald Trump faces four criminal indictments. Trump, who was twice impeached and acquitted during his presidency, has expressed support for the current inquiry against Biden.