House GOP Investigators Claim Biden Committed ‘Impeachable Conduct’ in Detailed Report
It is improbable that the situation will alter Republicans' lack of sufficient votes to move forward with impeaching the president.
TroibNews 
House Republican investigators have accused President Joe Biden of engaging in "impeachable conduct" in a report that has been long anticipated. However, this development is unlikely to alter a pressing challenge the party has faced: they currently lack the votes necessary to impeach him.
The 291-page document, released on Monday by the Oversight, Judiciary, and Ways and Means committees, comes around eight months after Republicans launched a formal impeachment inquiry against the president. Their extensive investigations have primarily centered on the business dealings of Biden’s family, having informally begun when they took control of the House in January 2023.
The committee members claim Biden committed two offenses deemed to meet the threshold for impeachment: abuse of power and obstruction. These allegations mirror the charges brought against then-President Donald Trump during the 2019 impeachment process—a point frequently referenced in the House GOP report.
“The Constitution’s remedy for a President’s flagrant abuse of office is clear: impeachment by the House of Representatives and removal by the Senate,” the report states, further noting it is being submitted to the House “for its evaluation and consideration of appropriate next steps.”
While Republicans acknowledged on Monday that their inquiry is still in progress, the report signifies a somewhat subdued conclusion to the impeachment initiative; two key investigators indicated last month that their investigations have largely concluded. Some Republicans on the Judiciary Committee have advocated for public hearings regarding impeachment articles, but Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) did not commit to that in a recent interview, suggesting that the broader conference would decide the next steps.
Failing to bring an impeachment vote to the House floor would represent a historical anomaly; every formal presidential impeachment inquiry in modern history has resulted in an impeachment vote, with the exception of Richard Nixon, who resigned before a vote could occur. This could also frustrate the party’s base, which has been clamoring for a quicker impeachment process against Biden, although that focus has recently shifted to Vice President Kamala Harris.
Despite these developments, Republicans have remained dozens of votes short of mustering the numbers needed to impeach Biden—a reality increasingly acknowledged within the party. In a statement on Monday, Speaker Mike Johnson did not indicate any immediate plans for next steps. Rather, he expressed appreciation for the committees' “thorough, diligent, and thoughtful work” and encouraged all Americans to read the report.
Democrats quickly declared a political victory following the release of the report, which stops short of directly recommending impeachment articles. “After wasting nearly two years and millions of taxpayer dollars, House Republicans have finally given up on their wild goose chase. This failed stunt will only be remembered for how it became an embarrassment that their own members distanced themselves from as they only managed to turn up evidence that refuted their false and baseless conspiracy theories," stated White House spokesperson Sharon Yang.
The GOP's investigations, including the report released on Monday, primarily examined the financial dealings and payments received by Hunter and James Biden, as well as President Biden's management of classified documents amidst the ongoing federal investigation involving his son. Investigators claim to have traced $27 million in payments to Biden family members and their associates from foreign sources. They also closely examined various “loans” received by Hunter and James, representing the president’s son and brother, respectively.
Republicans highlighted instances where Hunter and James Biden leveraged their familial ties to raise their profiles. Some former associates of Hunter provided testimony that he would place his father on speakerphone during meetings with potential business partners, although the conversations reportedly only involved pleasantries. In other cases, witnesses recounted instances of Joe Biden attending dinners or lunches without any business discussions taking place.
The charge of abuse of power rests heavily on the business dealings and loans of Hunter and James Biden, with Republicans contending that these transactions likely would not have occurred without Joe Biden in office. However, all three Bidens, along with some former associates, have consistently stated that Joe Biden had no involvement in their business dealings.
The second charge, obstruction, centers on both the Republican investigation and the prolonged federal inquiry into Hunter Biden. IRS whistleblowers have accused officials within the Biden administration of hindering this investigation—claims that Attorney General Merrick Garland and special counsel David Weiss have consistently denied. Republicans have also brought attention to their ongoing legal battle to compel the Justice Department to release audio recordings of Joe Biden’s interview with former special counsel Robert Hur instead of just the transcripts.
Despite raising various issues with previous statements made by Joe Biden and the White House, the GOP has struggled to find definitive evidence that would rally the near-universal support required for impeachment. According to the report released Monday, the investigation does not necessitate proof of a crime by Joe Biden; however, some members of the party have expressed skepticism, arguing that proving a crime is the necessary standard for their support.
The impeachment initiatives have drawn intense scrutiny from congressional Democrats, the White House, and even some GOP members, both past and present. In a preview of their likely response to the report, Democrats have long positioned the investigation as a potential exoneration of Joe Biden, given its probable lack of action.
“I think we did our job. We followed the money,” said Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) in a recent discussion.
He reiterated a common assertion from GOP leaders: their formalization of the impeachment inquiry last year was “to try to have better standing in court to get documents. It didn’t have anything to do with impeachment.”
In a statement on Monday, Jordan connected the report’s release to the commencement of the Democratic convention in Chicago, illustrating the party's pivot from Biden to Harris as the elections approach.
“As Democrats celebrate Joe Biden and crown Kamala Harris as his heir apparent this week, Americans should remember the reality of the Biden-Harris Administration: crime, chaos, and corruption,” he remarked.
Lucas Dupont contributed to this report for TROIB News
The 291-page document, released on Monday by the Oversight, Judiciary, and Ways and Means committees, comes around eight months after Republicans launched a formal impeachment inquiry against the president. Their extensive investigations have primarily centered on the business dealings of Biden’s family, having informally begun when they took control of the House in January 2023.
The committee members claim Biden committed two offenses deemed to meet the threshold for impeachment: abuse of power and obstruction. These allegations mirror the charges brought against then-President Donald Trump during the 2019 impeachment process—a point frequently referenced in the House GOP report.
“The Constitution’s remedy for a President’s flagrant abuse of office is clear: impeachment by the House of Representatives and removal by the Senate,” the report states, further noting it is being submitted to the House “for its evaluation and consideration of appropriate next steps.”
While Republicans acknowledged on Monday that their inquiry is still in progress, the report signifies a somewhat subdued conclusion to the impeachment initiative; two key investigators indicated last month that their investigations have largely concluded. Some Republicans on the Judiciary Committee have advocated for public hearings regarding impeachment articles, but Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) did not commit to that in a recent interview, suggesting that the broader conference would decide the next steps.
Failing to bring an impeachment vote to the House floor would represent a historical anomaly; every formal presidential impeachment inquiry in modern history has resulted in an impeachment vote, with the exception of Richard Nixon, who resigned before a vote could occur. This could also frustrate the party’s base, which has been clamoring for a quicker impeachment process against Biden, although that focus has recently shifted to Vice President Kamala Harris.
Despite these developments, Republicans have remained dozens of votes short of mustering the numbers needed to impeach Biden—a reality increasingly acknowledged within the party. In a statement on Monday, Speaker Mike Johnson did not indicate any immediate plans for next steps. Rather, he expressed appreciation for the committees' “thorough, diligent, and thoughtful work” and encouraged all Americans to read the report.
Democrats quickly declared a political victory following the release of the report, which stops short of directly recommending impeachment articles. “After wasting nearly two years and millions of taxpayer dollars, House Republicans have finally given up on their wild goose chase. This failed stunt will only be remembered for how it became an embarrassment that their own members distanced themselves from as they only managed to turn up evidence that refuted their false and baseless conspiracy theories," stated White House spokesperson Sharon Yang.
The GOP's investigations, including the report released on Monday, primarily examined the financial dealings and payments received by Hunter and James Biden, as well as President Biden's management of classified documents amidst the ongoing federal investigation involving his son. Investigators claim to have traced $27 million in payments to Biden family members and their associates from foreign sources. They also closely examined various “loans” received by Hunter and James, representing the president’s son and brother, respectively.
Republicans highlighted instances where Hunter and James Biden leveraged their familial ties to raise their profiles. Some former associates of Hunter provided testimony that he would place his father on speakerphone during meetings with potential business partners, although the conversations reportedly only involved pleasantries. In other cases, witnesses recounted instances of Joe Biden attending dinners or lunches without any business discussions taking place.
The charge of abuse of power rests heavily on the business dealings and loans of Hunter and James Biden, with Republicans contending that these transactions likely would not have occurred without Joe Biden in office. However, all three Bidens, along with some former associates, have consistently stated that Joe Biden had no involvement in their business dealings.
The second charge, obstruction, centers on both the Republican investigation and the prolonged federal inquiry into Hunter Biden. IRS whistleblowers have accused officials within the Biden administration of hindering this investigation—claims that Attorney General Merrick Garland and special counsel David Weiss have consistently denied. Republicans have also brought attention to their ongoing legal battle to compel the Justice Department to release audio recordings of Joe Biden’s interview with former special counsel Robert Hur instead of just the transcripts.
Despite raising various issues with previous statements made by Joe Biden and the White House, the GOP has struggled to find definitive evidence that would rally the near-universal support required for impeachment. According to the report released Monday, the investigation does not necessitate proof of a crime by Joe Biden; however, some members of the party have expressed skepticism, arguing that proving a crime is the necessary standard for their support.
The impeachment initiatives have drawn intense scrutiny from congressional Democrats, the White House, and even some GOP members, both past and present. In a preview of their likely response to the report, Democrats have long positioned the investigation as a potential exoneration of Joe Biden, given its probable lack of action.
“I think we did our job. We followed the money,” said Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) in a recent discussion.
He reiterated a common assertion from GOP leaders: their formalization of the impeachment inquiry last year was “to try to have better standing in court to get documents. It didn’t have anything to do with impeachment.”
In a statement on Monday, Jordan connected the report’s release to the commencement of the Democratic convention in Chicago, illustrating the party's pivot from Biden to Harris as the elections approach.
“As Democrats celebrate Joe Biden and crown Kamala Harris as his heir apparent this week, Americans should remember the reality of the Biden-Harris Administration: crime, chaos, and corruption,” he remarked.
Lucas Dupont contributed to this report for TROIB News
