The US House of Representatives on Wednesday voted to formalize an impeachment inquiry into US President Joe Biden.
The vote of 221 to 212 was along strict party lines, with every Republican voting for it and every Democrat against.
Biden’s son Hunter Biden has been accused of improper influence — effectively trading on the family name in pay-to-play schemes during his business dealings in Ukraine, China and elsewhere.
Photo: Reuters
Joe Biden responded immediately after the vote, accusing Republicans of stalling on key fronts such as funding the government while obsessing over scoring political points ahead of next year’s US presidential election.
“Instead of doing anything to help make Americans’ lives better, they are focused on attacking me with lies,” Joe Biden said in a statement. “Instead of doing their job on the urgent work that needs to be done, they are choosing to waste time on this baseless political stunt that even Republicans in Congress admit is not supported by facts.”
However, Republicans say that the inquiry has merit.
“As President Biden continues to stonewall lawful congressional subpoenas, today’s vote of the full House of Representatives authorizing the inquiry puts us in the strongest position to enforce these subpoenas in court,” House Speaker Mike Johnson and other members of the Republican leadership said in a statement. “The American people deserve answers. This impeachment inquiry will help us find them.”
Hunter Biden issued a statement in Washington.
“My father was not financially involved in my business,” he said.
Hunter Biden was speaking to reporters from Capitol Hill after refusing to attend a closed-door hearing led by Republicans.
The House Oversight Committee said that it would initiate contempt of Congress proceedings against Hunter Biden over his no-show.
The House first began probing a possible Joe Biden impeachment earlier this year.
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