House Republicans introduced legislation Thursday for their impeachment inquiry into President Biden, and say they are confident they will have the votes to formally authorize the ongoing probe despite tepid support from some in their conference.
One of the top investigators in the probe, House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan, said he is confident there’s enough support despite arch-conservative Rep. Ken Buck, Colorado Republican, likely voting against the measure, and a handful of moderates wanting to know what additional evidence a formal inquiry will reveal.
“I think we’re going to get the votes,” Mr. Jordan, Ohio Republican, said.
Three House panels, led by the Oversight and Accountability Committee, have held depositions and gathered evidence since then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy unilaterally launched an impeachment inquiry earlier this year.
Speaker Mike Johnson, Louisiana Republican, now has a slim four-vote majority and faces House Democrats united against the inquiry.
He pitched the inquiry vote as a way to break through the White House’s attempts to stonewall investigators from interviewing witnesses and poring over thousands of pages of documents, which has warmed some conservatives to support the probe.
The Oversight panel is seeking the testimony of Hunter Biden, whom they subpoenaed last month for a Dec. 13 appearance. Mr. Jordan and Oversight and Accountability Chair James Comer have threatened to hold the president’s son in contempt of Congress if he declines to appear for a closed-door deposition.
Through his lawyer, Hunter Biden has offered to testify at a public hearing.
The impeachment legislation, introduced by Rep. Kelly Armstrong, would give the panels additional powers to enforce subpoenas seeking witness testimony and other evidence.
Mr. Armstrong, North Dakota Republican, said it was “clear“ the Biden family sold influence around the world using Joseph R. Biden’s name when he served as vice president.
“An investigation in any jurisdiction around the country would move forward if it had these facts. A vote on an impeachment inquiry puts the House in the best position to prevail in court and uncover the truth,” Mr. Armstrong said.
The bill is set for a hearing in the House Rules Committee on Tuesday, and could be brought to the House floor right away if it passes through the panel.
The White House and House Democrats criticized the move as an attempt by the GOP to fire up its base and to undermine Mr. Biden’s reelection campaign next year.
“This baseless stunt is not rooted in facts or reality but in extreme House Republicans’ shameless desire to abuse their power to smear President Biden,” White House spokesperson Ian Sams said. “Fox News already reported that the only reason they’re having this vote is to ‘put a GOP win on the table for the base,’ which is sad, pathetic, and a waste of everyone’s time.”
House Oversight Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin, Maryland Democrat, argued that investigators had yet to dig up any crimes committed by Mr. Biden, like bribery.
“It’s obviously all about the 2024 election campaign, and this is a party that has never cast off the spell of Donald Trump,” Mr. Raskin said. “On the contrary, he has only increased his stranglehold over the GOP, and it’s a completely dysfunctional party.”
• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.
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