Speaker Mike Johnson, along with Rep. Elise Stefanik, announced their intention to launch a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden on Saturday, asserting that such a move has now become a necessary step. Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana and a member of House GOP leadership, made this statement during an appearance on Fox News. He emphasized the need for a methodical approach, highlighting the differences between their proposed inquiry and the previous impeachment efforts against former President Donald Trump, which they opposed.

Johnson accused the White House of obstructing the three GOP-led House committees - Judiciary, Oversight, and Ways and Means - that are leading the impeachment inquiry. According to Johnson, the White House is preventing key witnesses from the Department of Justice from coming forward and has withheld thousands of pages of evidence. To overcome these obstructions, Johnson emphasized the importance of a formal impeachment inquiry vote on the House floor, which he believes is necessary at this juncture.

Johnson expressed confidence that the Republican party will have enough votes to launch the impeachment inquiry, but he does not expect any support from the Democratic side. The White House, which has dismissed the Republican-led impeachment inquiry as "illegitimate," did not immediately respond to inquiries for comment.

Several House Republicans confirmed on Friday that a vote to authorize a formal impeachment inquiry into President Biden could take place as early as next week. Representative Ralph Norman from South Carolina stated that this was the plan discussed during a closed-door conference meeting. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer also expressed a desire for the vote to happen sooner rather than later, stating that the Republican support for launching the inquiry has solidified during Congress' Thanksgiving break.

The push to initiate the impeachment inquiry gained traction among Republicans after members of the party heard concerns from constituents regarding Hunter Biden's involvement in alleged shady business practices. House Republicans, following the lead of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, instructed the three committees to obtain bank records and other relevant documents related to President Biden and his son.

The House Oversight Committee has claimed to have obtained financial documents suggesting that the Biden family established over 20 shell companies, with most being set up during Joe Biden's tenure as vice president. The committee alleges that these companies were created as part of an effort to conceal payments from foreign adversaries. A series of subpoenas have been issued, including those to Hunter Biden, James Biden (the president's brother), and Rob Walker (a Biden family associate), requesting their appearance for depositions.

As the Republicans proceed with their impeachment inquiry plans, the White House counsel, Richard Sauber, has strongly criticized the subpoenas as unjustified. Sauber wrote a letter, countering the allegations and arguing that after a year-long investigation and testimony from numerous witnesses, the Republican baseless allegations about the president have been refuted.

The timing of the impeachment inquiry vote will be determined by GOP leadership, but Chairman Comer emphasized the desire for swift action to uncover the truth about Joe Biden's alleged involvement in his family's business affairs. As these developments unfold, the political landscape remains tense, with both sides preparing for a contentious battle in the coming weeks.

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