The US Congress on Wednesday approved the formal opening of an investigation into a possible impeachment of President Joe Biden for his son’s shady business dealings abroad, an initiative the president described as a “baseless political ploy.”

This procedure has virtually no chance of success, but it does pose an obstacle to the White House before the presidential elections in November 2024, in which Biden wants to be re-elected.

The conservatives, who have had the majority in the House of Representatives since January, accuse the Democratic leader of using his influence when he was vice president of the House of Representatives. Barack Obama (2009-2017) to let his son Hunter do business in China and Ukraine.

“Joe Biden has repeatedly lied to the American people”, accused the head of the House of Representatives investigative committee, James Comer.

The president, his son and the Democratic party in general deny the allegations.

“Instead of doing their job (…) they decide to waste their time with this baseless political ploy that even Republicans in Congress admit is not supported by facts“Biden responded in a statement minutes after the vote.

A few hours earlier, his son Hunter gave a special press conference in which he defended his father.

“Let me put it as clearly as possible: my father was not financially involved in my companiessaid Hunter, who has become a favorite target of conservatives.

“Errors”

Before Congress, Hunter acknowledged “making mistakes” in his life, but accused “the trumpeters‘, that is, against the supporters of former Republican President Donald Trump, who are trying to ‘dehumanize’ him in order to ‘harm’ his father.

That’s why he refused to attend a closed session organized by Republicans, who wanted him to appear before Congress.

The 81-year-old president has always publicly supported Hunter Biden and has said on many occasions that he is “proud” of him.

A similar investigation against the Democratic president was opened a few months ago. It was done at the request of members of Congress close to Trump, who could be his rival in the 2024 elections.

A first parliamentary hearing took place at the end of September, with experts agreeing that nothing currently warrants an accusation against President Biden.

“There is no evidence that President Biden committed any reprehensible actHouse of Representatives Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries added on Wednesday.

Republicans believe that the formal opening of the investigation, adopted solely with their vote, is a new opportunity to impeach the Democratic leader.

“The time has come to give answers to the American peopleSpeaker of the House of Representatives, Republican Mike Johnson, said after the vote on Wednesday. This investigation will not be taken “lightly,” he warned.

The United States Constitution states that Congress can impeach the president for treason, corruption, and other serious crimes.

The procedure takes place in two phases.

After conducting an investigation, the House of Representatives votes by simple majority on the articles of impeachment detailing the facts impeaching the president: this is known in English as a political trial or ‘impeachment’.

If he is impeached, the Senate, the upper house of Congress, will try the president. If it reaches this stage, there is a good chance that Biden will be acquitted because his party has a majority.

No president has been impeached in the history of the United States.

Several have been impeached: Andrew Johnson in 1868, Bill Clinton in 1998 and Donald Trump in 2019 and 2021, but they were acquitted.

Richard Nixon preferred to resign in 1974 to avoid possible impeachment by Congress due to the Watergate scandal. (JO)