Biden’s Impeachment Inquiry (Republican POV)

By: Ansh Sharma

Former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy Announcing President Joe Biden’s Impeachment Inquiry (Reuters/Elizabeth Frantz)

September 12, 2023 marked the day that the former Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy formally declared an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden. The inquiry was in regard to a myriad of issues regarding his presidency and how he abused his power for his son, Hunter Biden. McCarthy forwarded the inquiry to the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, the House of Representatives’ investigative committee. Biden’s impeachment was spurred on by the Republican party, with 77% of registered Republican voters reporting that they approved of the House of Representatives’ investigation into the president.

Hunter Biden possessed a history of irresponsible behavior, including a charge where “he lied on a federal form when he said he was drug-free at the time that he purchased a Colt Cobra 38SPL revolver in October 2018” (ABC News). This led to a personal investigation being opened on him by Trump-appointed attorney David Weiss, who was urged by Republicans to take the case so the party could build Biden’s impeachment inquiry. This “seven-hour interview with the House Judiciary Committee marked the first time a special counsel has ever testified to lawmakers in the middle of a probe” (Associated Press News). This unprecedented change in the proceedings emphasized the Republican party’s strong will to incriminate Hunter Biden.

David Weiss During Hunter Biden’s Trial Before the House Judiciary Committee (Associated Press News/Alex Brandon)

Hunter Biden had additional charges built against him for failing “to pay his federal income taxes for 2017 and 2018” (WHYY PBS NPR). He recognized that he committed tax evasion in open court, but entered a “not guilty” plea. According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Leo Wise, “Biden’s crimes were fueled in part by rampant alcohol and crack cocaine abuse” (WHYY PBS NPR). These charges of drug usage, tax evasion, and lying on federal-forms, provided much issue for Joe Biden’s campaign for candidacy in the presidential election. Hunter Biden was aware about how his actions would reflect on the family’s name, as he said in a June 2017 WhatsApp message to his business associate that he was not ready to “sign over [his] family’s brand.”

Hunter Biden at a White House State Dinner on June 22. 2023 (Getty Images/Anna Moneymaker)

Joe Biden in his impeachment trial was accused of influence peddling, essentially using his power and authority to mitigate and cover up the consequences for his son’s actions. It is possible that Biden was aware or could have even contributed to what his son was doing, as a way to ensure that his campaign ran smoothly. President Biden also presented himself as a family-oriented man, with his political campaign being built upon his family. Thus, for the sake of his reputation, he may have covered up Hunter Biden’s affairs. This is evident by the accusations made by James Comer, Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, who claimed that “Biden family members sold access for profit around the world to the detriment of American interests” (House Committee on Oversight and Accountability). Specifically, Hunter Biden “put his father on the phone around 20 times while in the company of

associates, [and] he sold the ‘illusion of access’ to his father by taking credit for things his father did as vice president that he had no part in” (PBS NewsHour).

This information was specifically testified by Hunter Biden’s former business partner, Devon Archer. Domestic information being released is an extreme threat to national security, so the allegations being mounted against Joe Biden and Hunter Biden are very serious. In truth, Archer’s claims provide strong evidence incriminating Joe Biden for being an accomplice in releasing government secrets for the sake of son’s business ventures, which can be used against him in the impeachment trial.

President Joe Biden with his son, Hunter Biden at Fort McNair (Associated Press Photo/Andrew Harnik)

While Hunter Biden was the primary focal point for Joe Biden’s impeachment process, the Republican party has been attempting to impeach Biden on multiple charges. They believed his policies regarding his handling of troops in Afghanistan, illegal immigration, and COVID-19 policies subpar. However, one of the most significant issues the Republican party had emphasized was when classified documents were discovered at the Penn Biden Center in Washington D.C. in November 2022. These documents divulged information regarding Ukraine, Iran, and the United Kingdom’s intelligence material. Upon further investigation, the United States Department of Justice found more documents in Biden’s residence on three more occasions in December 2022 and January 2023. This further incriminated Biden and solidified the idea that he was involved in disclosing national secrets, especially when one considers the gravity of having numerous documents regarding domestic affairs left around in his residence. As a result, the House Judiciary Committee started an investigation into these documents in Biden’s possession.

In conclusion, Biden’s impeachment process is a multifaceted subject regarding many faults and errors in judgment on Biden’s part. The events of Biden’s impeachment trial directly parallels those of Donald Trump’s impeachment trials in preceding years, especially when comparing events such as the Biden Classified Document Incident and the Federal Bureau Investigation’s search of Mar-a-Lago. While Biden’s impeachment trial is still ongoing, regardless of the outcome, society should reevaluate the values and ethics held by the politicians entrusted to maintain the country’s stability. These events and how they unfolded shows that it is evident for politicians to be honest in their campaigns and their policies, and not to break the line of trust given to them by the American people.

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