House floor vote would determine if impeachment inquiry against Biden is opened, McCarthy says

A House floor vote would determine whether an impeachment inquiry is opened against President Biden if the lower chamber decides to move forward with a congressional investigation, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy revealed Friday. 

“To open an impeachment inquiry is a serious matter, and House Republicans would not take it lightly or use it for political purposes. The American people deserve to be heard on this matter through their elected representatives,” McCarthy (R-Calif.) told Breitbart News.

“That’s why, if we move forward with an impeachment inquiry, it would occur through a vote on the floor of the People’s House and not through a declaration by one person,” he added. 

Opening an impeachment inquiry against the 80-year-old president would provide the lower chamber with the power to subpoena witness testimony and documents related to its investigation, which could center on allegations of corruption involving the president related to first son Hunter Biden’s overseas business dealings. 

A full House impeachment inquiry vote, which is not required by the Constitution to open an inquiry, would require at least 218 affirmative votes to pass. 

If no Democrats vote in favor of opening the inquiry and more than four Republicans join them in opposing it, the measure would fail. 

Five resolutions have been introduced by Republican lawmakers since January seeking to impeach the president for “high crimes and misdemeanors” related to his handling of the immigration crisis and his alleged efforts to shield his family’s business dealings from congressional oversight and Justice Department investigations. 

McCarthy’s outlined approach for opening an impeachment inquiry against Biden differs from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s handling of former President Donald Trump’s first impeachment in 2019. 

Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced via proclamation in September 2019 that six House committees would be conducting an impeachment inquiry into Trump over his infamous phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, opting not to hold a full House vote to formally open the inquiry. 

McCarthy teased last week that an impeachment inquiry into Biden, related to his family’s business schemes and bribery allegations, could be on the table when the House is gaveled back into session on Sept. 12. 

“The thing that holds up whether we do impeachment inquiry, provide us the documents we’re asking,” McCarthy told Fox Business host Larry Kudlow. “The whole determination here is how the Bidens handled this.”

“If they provide us the documents, there wouldn’t be a need for impeachment inquiry. But if they withhold the documents and fight like they have now to not provide to the American public what they deserve to know, we will move forward with impeachment inquiry when we come back into session,” the House speaker added.