Joe Biden mocks impeachment probe as MacCarthy initiates inquiry

McCarthy initiated the probe saying Republicans have uncovered serious and credible allegations about the president, according to a report published by Bloomberg. 

The formal inquiry is expected to focus on seeking to implicate the president in his son Hunter Biden’s overseas business affairs, though the full scope of the investigation isn’t clear. 

However, Biden has denied GOP allegations. In August, the US President said that he never talked business with his son’s business associates, Bloomberg reported. 

Last week, he scoffed at the move propelled by hard-line Republicans, saying that “best I can tell, they want to impeach me because they want to shut down the government.”

McCarthy has toed the line trying to please far-right conservatives who have threatened to remove him as speaker if their demands aren’t met. 

The House has passed only one of 12 bills that are typically used to fund the government, raising a serious possibility of a partial federal government shutdown after the fiscal ends on September 30, as per Bloomberg reports. 

On Sunday, McCarthy said that he would bring a defense spending bill to a vote “win or lose” this week, despite resistance from hardline fellow Republicans.

The measure, which is unlikely to become law, also includes conservative restrictions on immigration and the U.S. border with Mexico. Republicans have said that such a deal could allow the House to move forward on the defense spending bill this week, Reuters reported. 

Republicans hold a narrow 221-212 majority in the chamber as they bicker over spending and pursue a new impeachment drive against President Joe Biden while the United States faces a possible fourth partial government shutdown in a decade.

The Republican-controlled House and Democratic-led Senate have until October 1 to avoid a partial shutdown by enacting appropriations bills that Biden, a Democrat, can sign into law, or by passing a short-term stopgap spending measure to give lawmakers more time for debate.

(With inputs from agencies)

Updated: 18 Sep 2023, 07:02 AM IST