The recent announcement by Congresswoman and House Republican Conference Chair Liz Cheney that the House of Representatives was launching a formal impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden has caused a sense of unease amongst many Americans. The move by Cheney, a Republican from Wyoming, shocked many given the lack of serious accusations of wrong-doing lodged against Biden.
While Cheney’s stance on launching the inquiry is that it is a necessary step to investigate the facts and determine whether impeachment proceedings are warranted, there is much confusion and disagreement over what it means for the future of the nation.
The impeachment process, as laid out in the Constitution and further explained by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, is a complicated procedure that can take months to fully resolve. It is designed to allow the House of Representatives to review allegations of wrongdoing by the President, Vice President, or other government officials and determine if they should be impeached from office.
Impeachment proceedings can be started by any number of people, including Representatives or state governors, and require simple majority approval in the House of Representatives before moving on to the Senate for a final vote.
If the House approves an impeachment inquiry, the president, Vice President, or other high-ranking official can be removed from office temporarily and will not have access to the White House or other government offices until the completion of the inquiry.
For the Biden Administration, this means that they may have to conduct business in an atmosphere of uncertainty as the investigation unfolds and until they know the outcome. It also means that the Administration’s agenda could be put on hold or even derailed until the conclusion of the inquiry.
In the United States, impeachment proceedings must be initiated if serious wrongdoing is suspected. However, many political experts believe that the inquiry launched by Cheney is more of a political move than an impeachments process in the truest sense of the law.
Cheney has been a staunch critic of Biden’s policies since he was elected, and her recent announcement is seen as an attempt to undermine his credibility and power. Additionally, some Republican critics argue that the inquiry is being used to deflect attention away from Donald Trump’s own indiscretions and possible violations of law.
Though Congresswoman Cheney is certainly within her rights to launch the inquiry, her motive – and the potential consequences of it – remain uncertain and are still to be determined. Right now, all eyes are on Washington as the inquiry unfolds and determines what, if any, action is to be taken against President Biden.