Republican members of Congress launched a new impeachment trial against US President Joe Biden on Monday, coinciding with the opening of the Democratic convention, but has almost no chance of success.
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Three powerful committees in the Republican-majority House of Representatives have accused the Democratic leader of corruption in connection with his son Hunter’s overseas business dealings in an investigative report.
The Republican chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Jim Jordan, said the investigation “certainly” proved that Mr. Biden had “abused his public office for the financial benefit of the Biden family and their business associates.”
“President Biden’s legacy is one of abuse of public office, corruption and obstruction,” added James Comer, chairman of the House Oversight Committee.
“The evidence provided by our impeachment inquiry makes this the best case for impeachment that a sitting Speaker of the House has ever considered,” he said.
The report, which is mostly made up of insinuations and inferences based on the filial relationship, essentially repeats arguments long relayed by Republicans.
They have never been able to provide any concrete evidence suggesting that the president used his position for the benefit of his son or was involved in his affairs.
Mr Biden, who is due to bid farewell to his party on Monday in Chicago at the Democratic convention and hand over the reins to his vice-president Kamala Harris, who is running against Donald Trump in November, has consistently denied any connection to his son’s shady dealings in Ukraine or China.
Republicans have long sought to use the troubles of Hunter Biden, also known for his drug and alcohol addictions, to politically tarnish his father.
They have tried to impeach Mr. Biden in the past, but their efforts never got far enough to reach a vote in the House of Representatives.
Their attempts to do so are often seen as a desire to avenge the two impeachments of Donald Trump when he was president, in 2019 and 2021.
Republicans have only a very narrow majority in the House of Representatives. It is very unlikely that they can achieve complete unanimity, and this attempt could backfire if they pursue it further.
