With the House of Representatives just yesterday approving an impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden, Congressional Republicans will spend the coming months compiling evidence on the alleged corruption of the president.
Every House Republican voted to begin the impeachment process, producing a down-the-line party vote of 221-212.
In a Tuesday press briefing, House Speaker Mike Johnson addressed the vote, stating, “To fulfill our constitutional responsibility, we have to take the next step. We’re not making a political decision, it’s not. It’s a legal decision.” Johnson continued, “We can’t prejudge the outcome. The Constitution does not permit us to do so. We have to follow the truth where it takes us.”
Payments from Burisma to Hunter to Joe
The focal point of the allegation against the president is potential corruption in regard to the Ukrainian energy company Burisma. Republicans claim that in 2016, Biden orchestrated the ouster of Ukrainian state prosecutor Viktor Shokin in exchange for a $1 billion loan guarantee from the United States. Viktor Shokin was, at the time, a “threat” to Burisma, according to Hunter Biden’s business partner Devon Archer. While Shokin was not actively investigating Burisma in 2016, he had seized assets of the company’s owner, Nikolai Zlochevsky.
Hunter Biden sat on the board of the Ukrainian gas company despite not having any prior experience in the field. The GOP claims that Hunter was making millions of dollars in this role because of his connection to his father, who was vice president at the time.
Allegations that Hunter was sending monthly payments to his father via his business entity, Owasco PC, would, if true, establish that direct connection to Joe Biden.
Further, Republicans made public an FD-1023 FBI form in early 2023, which contained information from a reliable FBI informant who recounted a discussion with Mykola Zlochevsky, the current owner of Burisma. In this conversation, references were made to a $5 million payment made to “one Biden” and “to another Biden.”
The GOP has also focused in on two suspicious payments to Joe Biden from his brother James, who has also been involved with Burisma. One check amounted to $40,000, another $200,000. Both transactions occurred when Joe Biden was not in a political position. James Biden described the $200,000 check as a “loan repayment” from Americore Health – a company that acquires and manages rural hospitals across the United States.
Biden Impeachment Process
In the coming months, House committees will be subpoenaing documents related to Hunter Biden’s business dealings and calling witnesses to testify at hearings. This process is very likely to draw out into 2024, causing major headaches for Joe Biden as he focuses on his re-election campaign.
Should the committees proceed with impeachment, the entire House of Representatives will cast their votes. If the majority favors impeachment, Biden will be impeached.
Subsequently, the Senate will conduct a trial and vote on the president’s removal from office.
Although three past presidents faced impeachment in the House, no president has ever been removed from office through this process. And with the Democrats controlling the Senate, it is extremely unlikely that they would vote to convict a president of their own party.
