Just hours after the U.S. House of Representatives returned to the business of the American people following the August recess, Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) officially announced that Republicans were opening an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden.
"We have found that President Biden did lie about his own knowledge of his family's foreign business dealings," McCarthy explained, and "joined on multiple phone calls — and multiple interactions — with Hunter's business partners," the Speaker recounted of the evidence already uncovered by House committees.
"Bank records show that nearly $20 million in payments were directed to the Biden's family members and associates through various shell companies," McCarthy continued, emphasizing that more than 150 transactions involving the Biden family and other business associates were flagged in "Suspicious Activity Reports" by U.S. banks.
"Even a trusted FBI informant has alleged a bribe to the Biden family," the Speaker said of revelations that arose from the FBI-generated FD-1023 form the Biden administration attempted to keep hidden from lawmakers and the American people.
"Despite the serious allegations, it appears that the president's family has been offered special treatment by Biden's own administration," McCarthy noted of the kid-glove treatment for Hunter and others privileged to have the Biden name.
"These are allegations of abuse of power, obstruction, and corruption," said McCarthy.
"Today, I am directing our House committees to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden," the House Speaker said of this "logical next step" which "will give our committees the full power to gather all the facts" about President Biden and his family's activities.
🚨BREAKING🚨
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) September 12, 2023
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy announces a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.
"I am directing our House Committee to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden." pic.twitter.com/lDBIwo6LYP
"That's all we want to know: the answers," explained McCarthy of the inquiry which will be led by Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY), Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH), and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO).
"I do not make this decision lightly," McCarthy emphasized of the decision to launch the formal impeachment inquiry. "Regardless of your party or who you voted for, these facts should concern all Americans," he added.
In some perhaps wishful thinking, McCarthy called on the "president and his team to fully cooperate...in the interest of transparency." Whatever Biden's level of cooperation, Speaker McCarthy pledged that he and House Republicans are "committed to getting answers for the American public."
"We will go wherever the evidence takes us," McCarthy said.
The Speaker's full announcement is embedded below:
I am directing our House committees to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. Over the past several months, House Republicans have uncovered serious and credible allegations into President Biden’s conduct—a culture of corruption. https://t.co/3uoDlUB3Sy
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) September 12, 2023
The White House, via Spokesman for Oversight and Investigations Ian Sams, attempted to brush off the evidence uncovered by House committees since Republicans took control in January.
"House Republicans have been investigating the President for 9 months, and they've turned up no evidence of wrongdoing," Sams said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. "His own GOP members have said so," he claimed. "He vowed to hold a vote to open impeachment, now he flip flopped because he doesn't have support," continued Sams, calling the situation "[e]xtreme politics at its worst."
This is a developing story and may be updated.