Recently-elected Rep. Celeste Maloy surprised many by voting in favor of opening an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, despite having expressed reservations about impeachments in the past. All four of Utah’s Republican House members voted to authorize the investigation into potential corruption and financial benefits involving Biden and his son Hunter.
This decision marks a departure from Utah’s delegation’s voting pattern during Donald Trump’s impeachment trials. Maloy, who was sworn into office just two weeks prior, had previously avoided questions about her stance on impeaching Biden while on the campaign trail. She had opposed the impeachment of Trump during her time as legal counsel for former Congressman Chris Stewart, expressing concerns about the political nature of the process.
Her change in position was met with scrutiny, especially given that both Reps. Burgess Owens and Blake Moore, who also voted against Trump’s impeachment, now supported the move to investigate Biden. The Republicans’ decision was criticized, as the evidence supporting the impeachment inquiry is considered weak and based on debunked conspiracy theories.
It’s worth mentioning that Sen. Mitt Romney, who did not vote in favor of opening an impeachment inquiry, expressed that he does not see any evidence that would justify impeaching Biden. This background adds an important context to the controversial decision made by Utah’s House delegation.
It’s clear that the decision to move forward with an impeachment inquiry into President Biden is a divisive one, further reinforcing the already deep political divisions in the United States. The outcome of this investigation will likely have far-reaching implications, as the country continues to grapple with the fallout of the previous impeachments and the ever-present partisan tensions.
