Shutterstock.com
House Republicans released a resolution Thursday to formalize its months-long impeachment inquiry into Biden, with a full House vote planned for next week. The resolution — released months after former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) declared an impeachment inquiry to be underway in September — comes as a trio of committee leaders overseeing the probes enter a more combative phase of their investigation as they try to wrangle witnesses and documents.
Republicans hope that formally authorizing the inquiry will put more legal weight behind the probe and their ability to compel evidence, particularly if any of those battles end up in court (The Hill). The White House responded to the inquiry resolution by saying that House Republicans “only focus on stupid stunts.”
“This baseless stunt is not rooted in facts or reality but in extreme House Republicans’ shameless desire to abuse their power to smear President Biden,” Ian Sams, White House spokesperson for oversight and investigations, said in a statement. “The American people are yet again going to see a clear contrast in priorities: President Biden who is focused on solving the challenges facing America and the world, and extreme House Republicans who only focus on stupid stunts to get attention for themselves.”
The announcement comes as the president’s son, Hunter Biden, has been charged with tax crimes in California, his second indictment from special counsel David Weiss as he faces mounting scrutiny over his financial dealings. Biden will face three felony tax charges in relation to tax evasion and filing a false return, as well as six misdemeanor charges for failure to pay taxes between 2016 and 2019.
The new charges — three felonies and six misdemeanors — are in addition to federal firearms charges in Delaware alleging Hunter Biden broke laws against drug users having guns in 2018. They come after the implosion of a plea deal over the summer that would have spared him jail time, putting the case on track to a possible trial as his father campaigns for reelection (The Hill).
DEFENSE FUNDING: The Senate on Thursday overcame its first procedural hurdle to passing the annual Defense policy bill despite an objection from Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), putting lawmakers on a path to finalizing the measure in the coming weeks. The Hill’s Al Weaver reports senators voted 82-15 on the motion to proceed to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Jack Reed (D-R.I.) said despite the delay, he still expects to wrap up the bill next week. The Senate and House released their compromise version of the NDAA late Wednesday. The $886 billion package will first move through the Senate before the House takes up the measure potentially before leaving for the holiday season.
The bill does not include a GOP-backed item that would block the Pentagon’s abortion policy, which prompted Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) to hold up all military promotions until earlier this week. The policy allows service members to be reimbursed for travel expenses to receive abortion care.
- The Hill: Amendments blocking funding for drag shows, gender-affirming care dropped from the national defense blueprint.
- Politico: Top lawmakers drop abortion limits from defense bill, setting up a fight with the right. Dropping abortion limits and extending surveillance authorities will make the bill a tough sell among conservatives.
- The Hill: The House Intelligence and Judiciary committees’ battle over surveillance cracks party fault lines.