The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, on Tuesday said a formal impeachment inquiry will be opened about President Joe Biden.
According to McCarthy, the inquiry would focus on “allegations of abuse of power, obstruction and corruption” by Biden.
McCarthy in a brief public appearance said, “This logical next step will give our committees the full power to gather all the facts and answers for the American public.”
According to CNBC, the speaker claimed that Biden had lied to the American people about his knowledge of his family’s foreign business dealings.
The inquiry will be led by Republican Rep from Kentucky, James Comer, who chairs the House Oversight Committee, in coordination with Judiciary Committee chair Jim Jordan of Ohio and Missouri Representative, Jason Smith, who chairs the Ways and Means Committee.
Ian Sams, spokesman for the White House counsel’s office, said House Republicans have been investigating Biden for nine months and have turned up no evidence of wrongdoing.
McCarthy apparently abandoned his previous vow that an impeachment inquiry would occur through a vote in the House.
His decision to direct the committees to launch the investigation without a vote suggests he did not have enough support in the House to move forward.
Senate Republicans are sceptical that the House has revealed enough evidence to justify an impeachment inquiry.
The Republican-led House Oversight Committee launched an investigation in January into allegations that Biden profited from his son Hunter’s business dealings while he was vice president.
