Opening an Investigation
The US House of Representatives has officially agreed to open an investigation to impeach President Joe Biden. The investigation is focused on the foreign business activities of his son, Hunter, which have caused controversy. However, President Biden considers this investigation to be a baseless political move.
The resolution to open the investigation was approved by 221 representatives, while 212 rejected it. The purpose of the investigation is to determine if there are valid reasons to isolate President Biden.
Examining Foreign Business Dealings
The investigation aims to determine if President Biden benefited from his son's foreign business dealings or if he abused his position as president.
Republicans, who currently hold the majority of seats in the House of Representatives, accuse President Biden of using his influence as Vice President under Barack Obama to allow his son to engage in questionable business activities in China and Ukraine.
James Comer, the House Investigative Committee Chairman, stated that President Biden has repeatedly lied to the American people.
President Biden's Response
President Biden swiftly condemned the vote by the Republican-led House of Representatives, calling it a baseless political move. In a lengthy statement issued shortly after the vote, he expressed his disappointment that instead of focusing on improving the lives of Americans, the Republicans' priority is to attack him with lies.
The Impeachment Process
According to the US Constitution, Congress can impeach the president on charges of "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and violations."
Once the investigation concludes, the House of Representatives will vote on the articles of impeachment, which detail the alleged facts attributed to the president. A simple majority is required for the articles to pass.
If the articles of impeachment pass, the trial will move to the Senate. However, given that President Biden's party holds the majority of seats in the Senate, it is highly likely that he will be acquitted.
Past Impeachment Cases
No president in the history of the United States has ever been impeached. However, impeachment procedures have been initiated against three presidents: Andrew Johnson in 1868, Bill Clinton in 1998, and Donald Trump in 2019 and 2021. All three were ultimately acquitted.
Richard Nixon, facing impeachment due to the Watergate scandal, chose to resign in 1974 instead of going through the impeachment process.
Source: Al Jazeera + agencies
