Amidst growing turmoil within the Republican Party, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s announcement of an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden has further intensified internal divisions. McCarthy and others allege that Biden misused his past role as Vice President to assist Burisma, an oil and gas company linked to his son’s board membership. However, years of investigations by Republicans have failed to uncover any wrongdoing.
While some speculate that McCarthy’s pursuit of the inquiry is an attempt to appease far-right hardliners in the Freedom Caucus, who have threatened to oust him from the speakership, even some caucus members, including Rep. Matt Gaetz, have voiced skepticism about the evidence. Representative Ken Buck and Don Bacon have both maintained that there is currently no substantial evidence supporting Biden’s impeachment.
Senator Shelley Moore Capito expressed her frustration, questioning the lack of evidence and direction in the inquiry. Senator John Thune echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the need to prioritize legislative matters over impeachment. A Senate Republican anonymously labeled the inquiry a “waste of time” due to the Democrat-controlled Senate’s unlikely support for impeachment.
As this internal struggle unfolds, it remains uncertain whether President Biden will be compelled to respond to any subpoenas resulting from the inquiry, given McCarthy’s deviation from his pledge to hold a House vote approving the investigation. The dispute has drawn criticism from Senator Lindsey Graham, who argued that an inquiry vote should precede impeachment proceedings.
MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough criticized the Republican pursuit of a corruption inquiry into Biden, citing past questionable business dealings within the Trump family. Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY) characterized the recent actions of House Republicans as “chaos vibes,” leaving many to question the motivations behind the ongoing turmoil.
In the midst of this political turbulence, the LGBTQ community closely observes the developments, cognizant of the broader implications for their rights and well-being.