Republicans fail to impeach Biden before election

“I think it’s too late,” said Republican Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee, a member of the House Oversight Committee, which led the impeachment inquiry. “I think he’s indicted.”

The impeachment effort, based on the idea that Biden benefited financially from his son Hunter’s businesses, ended long before this month.

Although Republicans managed to maintain unanimity on a vote to authorize an impeachment inquiry last December, they never seemed to have the votes needed to impeach Biden. Along the way, key aspects of the investigation were discredited, including when a former FBI informant whose testimony had been widely cited was indicted in February for lying to the agency.

In August, a trio of House committees released a nearly 300-page report on the investigation. In the end, it got little attention, with House Speaker Mike Johnson issuing a statement that simply encouraged “all Americans to read this report.”

Despite this, it seemed possible that Republicans would be forced to vote for impeachment before the election. Last year, Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado tried to use a procedural maneuver to force a vote of impeachment over Biden’s handling of the southern border, and it didn’t seem out of the question for another right-wing lawmaker to make such a move. movement.

Republicans have been trying to impeach Biden — for various reasons — since the first year of the administration, and the vast majority of GOP voters supported the investigation. But Republicans are heading into November without having done so.

“I think it’s disappointing. I’m disappointed,” said Rep. Eric Burlison of Missouri, another GOP member of the Oversight Committee. “Unfortunately, our side of the aisle seems to be pulling the punches.”

What remains unclear, however, is whether Republicans will face any backlash from their base in the long run for the lack of an impeachment. After all, Biden is on his way out of the picture, and Trump could win the election in November.

“I think Republican voters want to make sure we get Trump in office,” said Rep. Michael Cloud, a Republican from Texas. “That’s their focus right now.”