How Joe Biden's Impeachment Will Progress

House Republicans who have been leading the impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden have been discussing their expected time frame to draw up and vote on any articles against the president.

Rep. James Comer, chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, and Ohio's Jim Jordan, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, have both indicated they want to interview several people—whom they have subpoenaed—to attend a deposition by the end of 2023, before the inquiries into alleged corruption against Joe Biden end.

Once the impeachment inquiry is complete, the Judiciary Committee will decide on whether to draw up any draft impeachment articles against the president, to be voted on by the House. Both Jordan and Comer have said that a vote could take place by early 2024.

The GOP has been investigating Joe Biden over allegations that he intervened and benefited from his son Hunter Biden's business dealings with China and Ukraine while he was vice president, including accusations of taking bribes. The allegations have been denied by the White House and Hunter Biden's lawyers, with Democrats criticizing the inquiries for failing to find any meaningful evidence to back up their claims against the president.

A recent report from Politico suggested that House Republicans are gearing up for a vote on impeachment articles against Joe Biden to take place as early as January 2024 after they conduct their remaining depositions by the end of the year.

Comer has subpoenaed several members of the president's family, including his brother James Biden and his son Hunter Biden, as part of the impeachment inquiries. Hunter Biden has been directed to sit for a deposition on December 13, with the president's brother currently scheduled for December 6.

"We get those depositions done this year...then we can decide on whether or not there's articles," Jordan told Politico.

Jordan's office and the White House have been contacted for comment via email.

Speaking to Fox News, Comer said he believes that an impeachment vote in the House could take place within the first few months of next year while stating the Oversight panel has produced "many smoking guns" during the probe.

"Well, certainly, that'll be probably early Spring, you know, the sooner the better," Comer said in response to a question on when a vote on impeaching the president might take place.

"It just depends on when these people come in for the depositions and transcribed interviews. We have about 24 people that we want to hear from and we're expecting to hear from them in the next 45 days."

One major issue for House Republicans is that several House members have come out and said they are not convinced by the evidence to persuade them to vote to impeach Biden over corruption allegations.

Colorado Congressman Ken Buck, who sits on the hardline Freedom Caucus and twice voted against impeaching former President Donald Trump, wrote in a September opinion piece for The Washington Post: "Trump's impeachment in 2019 was a disgrace to the Constitution and a disservice to Americans. The GOP's reprise in 2023 is no better."

In a recent interview with CNN, Nebraska Representative Don Bacon said: "I think it's better to let the election solve this. I know a lot of people say they want revenge. I don't think it's right for the country. But we'll see the case that they make."

Due to the GOP's narrow 221-212 majority in the House, if any articles of impeachment make it to a vote on the floor, then they would need near-unanimous Republican support in order to reach the 218 vote threshold. No House Democrat is expected to support the move.

Even if the House does vote to impeach Joe Biden, the president will almost certainly be acquitted in the Senate, where a two-thirds majority will be needed for conviction in what is a Democrat-controlled chamber.

House Republicans are planning to include allegations of obstruction in any impeachment articles if anyone connected to the Biden administration refuses to cooperate with its inquiry, according to Politico.

Comer told Fox News his panel would be open to holding anyone in contempt who does not comply with their congressional subpoenas.

"That's something that Jim Jordan and I talked with Speaker [Mike] Johnson at length about last week, and I think we're all on board," Comer said. "We expect people to respect our subpoenas. This has been a credible investigation, we've been very transparent."

Maryland Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin, ranking member of the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, hit out at Comer for subpoenaing members of the Biden family as part of House Republicans "sham" impeachment inquiry.

"Throughout this investigation, Chairman Comer has distorted a lot of facts, invented some, and concealed the evidence in an effort to distract from his utter failure to find any proof of wrongdoing by the president, much less an impeachable offense," Raskin said in a statement.

"These recent subpoena and transcribed interview requests are another vain attempt to interfere with the justice system and existing special counsel investigations. With the possible exception of Donald Trump, nobody is impressed by the Chairman's requests."