Hunter pardon reignites talk of rogue Biden impeachment push
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President Biden with his son Hunter and other family members in Nantucket, Massachusetts, on Nov. 29, 2024. Photo: MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images.
President Biden's pardon of his son Hunter has renewed whispers about a rogue 11th-hour effort by right-wing House Republicans to impeach him, lawmakers told Axios.
Why it matters: Impeachment has been a white whale for Republicans in the 118th Congress, but many see the pardon of one of the central figures in their Biden investigations as a vindication of their efforts.
- "Democrats said there was nothing to our impeachment inquiry," House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), one of the leaders of the House GOP impeachment inquiry, said in a post on X.
- "If that's the case, why did Joe Biden just issue Hunter Biden a pardon for the very things we were inquiring about?"
- Still, GOP lawmakers cautioned that there is likely not enough time or political will for a last-minute Biden impeachment.
Driving the news: Rep. Mark Alford (R-Mo.) fired the starting gun on Monday with a post on X lamenting that proponents of impeaching Biden "TRIED going through regular order."
- "We went through THREE different committees to gather evidence to put articles of impeachment of Joe Biden on the House floor for a vote," Alford said.
- "With his pardon of his son, Hunter, it's time to now put impeachment on the floor for an up or down vote."
What we're hearing: Several House Republicans told Axios that the pardon has indeed sparked renewed interest among conservatives around what is called a "privileged motion" on impeachment.
- Any single House Republican could offer such a motion and force it to a vote within two legislative days if GOP leadership cannot get the lawmaker to capitulate.
- Still, GOP lawmakers and aides cautioned that the talk is just that — and with the House in session only through December 19, there is scant time to force an impeachment vote.
- Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) a conservative ally of many of the House's most vocal right-wing rabble rousers, told Axios there will "probably" be an impeachment push "but we will run out of time."
Between the lines: Republicans also have an extremely narrow majority with little room to fail, and some GOP moderates are hesitant to support such a move.
- Rep. John Duarte (R-Calif.) told Axios he would specifically support impeaching Biden under the Foreign Agent Registration Act, but that "the crimes that Hunter Biden has been pardoned for are far less important."
- Hunter Biden faced sentencing this month after being convicted of felony gun charges and pleading guilty to felony tax charges.
- "A privileged motion is always possible," he added, but "any serious action will require regular order."
Zoom in: For many Republicans, the lame duck, 82-year-old president simply isn't an attractive target any more.
- "The Democrats already impeached him. The American people issued their verdict: time to move on," said another centrist House Republican, adding, "We have work to do."
- Even conservative Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) told Axios: "I don't think there is enough time to make impeachment a reality. nor do I feel [it's necessary] with Biden leaving on January 20th."
- "The concentration is solely on passing the Trump agenda quickly," he said.
