House Republicans on Thursday released an impeachment resolution that would formalize their inquiry into the business dealings of President Joe Biden and his family.
Three of the chamber’s committees — Oversight and Accountability, Judiciary, and Ways and Means — have been conducting an informal impeachment investigation since then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., ordered them to do so in September. Like McCarthy, new Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has accused the White House and Biden camp of refusing to turn over documents and allow testimony.
Johnson said this week that House GOP leaders need more authorities to obtain additional documents and testimony, which would be unlocked if the full House votes to formally bless the impeachment probe.
According to the resolution, the three committees would be “directed to continue their ongoing investigations as part of the House of Representatives inquiry into whether sufficient grounds exist for the House of Representatives to exercise its Constitutional power to impeach Joseph Biden.”
The resolution is mostly procedural. It would authorize the chairs of the committees to take actions like holding public hearings and issuing subpoenas. It also would give the committee chairs authority to release copies of any transcripts from closed-door depositions.
An accompanying resolution would formally bless “the enforcement of subpoenas issued by the chairs of the committees on Oversight and Accountability, Ways and Means, or the Judiciary as part of the inquiry into whether sufficient grounds exist for the House of Representatives to exercise its Constitutional power to impeach Joseph Biden, President of the United States of America, and for other purposes.”
Johnson does appear to have some work to do to persuade enough of his moderates, including 17 remaining ones who won districts in 2022 that Biden won in 2020, to vote with leadership on the floor. Former New York Rep. George Santos was the 18th; he was expelled last week by the full House as he faces a number of criminal charges.
During a Tuesday news conference, Johnson, who has been speaker since late October, laid out his sales pitch to those moderates. A vote could occur as soon as next week; the House is slated to leave for a holiday season break on Dec. 14.
