The US House of Representatives has approved an impeachment investigation into President Joe Biden.
The vote resulted in 221-212 along party lines.
Three Republican-led House committees have accused Biden of bribery and corruption while he served as Vice President under Barack Obama from 2009 to 2017.
Following months of pressure from Republicans in Congress, Kevin McCarthy, the then-Speaker of the House, announced in September that an investigation would be launched.
McCarthy stated that the investigation would concentrate on “allegations of abuse of power, obstruction, and corruption” by the president.
Biden, who is running for re-election, has been accused of “weaponizing” the justice department against political opponents in order to protect his son, Hunter.
Hunter’s dealings and repeated run-ins with the law, according to Biden’s critics, also indicate a pattern of corruption.
Hunter pleaded guilty to two tax crimes in June. He also reached an agreement with federal prosecutors regarding a separate felony gun charge while a drug user.
On Wednesday, the Republican chairperson in charge of the impeachment investigation into Biden announced that “contempt of Congress proceedings” would be launched against the president’s son for failing to appear in his closed-door deposition after he demanded to testify publicly.
The investigation into Biden was approved by a vote of 221 to 212 in the House’s lower chamber, which Republicans control by a mere eight seats.
Although, voting to authorize an investigation is not the same as voting for impeachment, but it increases the likelihood that the House will seek to impeach Biden in the future.
In response to the developments, the president described the proceedings as a misallocation of priorities and a baseless political stunt.
He said in a statement:
“The American people need their leaders in Congress to take action on important priorities for the nation and world,” following the vote.
“Instead of doing their job on the urgent work that needs to be done, they are choosing to waste time on this baseless political stunt that even Republicans in Congress admit is not supported by facts.”
So far, no evidence has been presented to support the allegations levelled against Biden.
However, as the 81-year-old prepares for re-election, he will almost certainly face Donald Trump, his predecessor and a twice-impeached former president.
Trump, the presumed Republican presidential frontrunner, has urged his allies to move quickly to impeach his opponent.