House Republicans are moving forward with a vote to formally authorize an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, even though many of them have openly questioned the evidence they've turned up so far.
GOP lawmakers skipped ahead with the investigation without voting in September under former House speaker Kevin McCarthy, but some moderates say the step is necessary to push back against what they claim is stonewalling by the Biden administration, reported The Messenger.
”I’m not an expert,” said Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD), chair of the Republican Main Street Caucus. “We have had enough political impeachments in this country. I don't like the stonewalling the administration has done, but, listen, if we don't have the receipts, then that should constrain what the House does.”
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Some Republicans have argued that formalizing the inquiry will give them better leverage in legal battles over subpoenas, but so far they haven't produced any evidence directly linking Biden to his family's foreign business dealings or any other examples of high crimes or misdemeanors.
"Probably not," Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE). "They're getting millions of dollars off the Biden name ... that's not to say there was a crime by the president."
A number of Republicans have said they would vote to formalize the inquiry but expressed doubt the House would eventually vote on impeachment.
"I don't think that's a foregone conclusion," said Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA), one of two House Republicans left who voted to impeach Donald Trump. "[We need to] get the answers to the necessary questions in order to be able to make that decision."
