WASHINGTON − House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., plans to endorse an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden this week, a source familiar with McCarthy’s decision told USA TODAY.
The move will be the largest escalation of the House Republican investigation into Biden, who they allege benefited from his son Hunter Biden’s business dealings. Punchbowl News first reported McCarthy’s plans.
House Republicans have claimed, without substantial evidence, that Biden financially benefited from his son’s foreign dealings. McCarthy has previously discussed an impeachment inquiry into Biden, arguing it would give House Republicans more oversight authority to investigate the president.
“The House GOP investigations have turned up no evidence of wrongdoing” by President Biden, Ian Sams, White House spokesman for oversight and investigations, said on X, formerly Twitter. “In fact, their own witnesses have testified to that, and their own documents have showed no link to POTUS.”
The latest step comes as McCarthy is trying to rally hardline conservatives in his caucus to support a plan to keep the government − and investigations into the Bidens − funded past Sept. 30. The House has just 11 working days to avert a shutdown. With an impeachment inquiry now in the mix, it is unclear if lawmakers will have enough time to fund the government.
“Opening impeachment despite zero evidence of wrongdoing by POTUS is simply red meat for the extreme rightwing so they can keep baselessly attacking him,” Sams said.
McCarthy, who had to fight 15 rounds of voting to become speaker in January, is facing pushback and threats to be removed from some Republican members of the House who are still angry he negotiated with Biden to avert a debt limit crisis. Those members, among the most conservative lawmakers in the House, have been clamoring for an impeachment inquiry long before news of McCarthy’s plans broke.
This story is breaking and will be updated.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden impeachment talks escalate. Kevin McCarthy to back inquiry.