McCarthy floats impeachment of Biden

A potential move to impeach US President Joe Biden has gained momentum following remarks by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

McCarthy floated the possibility of an impeachment inquiry after the release last week of an FBI informant file alleging Biden, vice-president at the time, and his son Hunter were paid a total of $10 million by a Ukrainian energy company.

"This is rising to the level of impeachment inquiry, which provides Congress the strongest power to get the rest of the knowledge and information needed," the California Republican said on Fox News on Monday.

"Our investigations are revealing more info every day about the Biden family's shell companies and the sweetheart deal (involving a plea by Hunter Biden) from the DOJ," McCarthy wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.

"If evidence continues to rise to the level of an impeachment inquiry, House Republicans will act."

Senator Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, last week released an FBI FD-1023 form in which a confidential informant cited discussions in 2015 and 2016 that officials of natural gas company Burisma Holdings sought to pay the Bidens $5 million each in return for help in ousting a Ukrainian prosecutor who was purportedly investigating the company.

Joe Biden has denied any involvement with his son's business dealings.

If President Biden were impeached by the House, it is unlikely he would be convicted in the 100-member Senate, which would require two-thirds of the vote. The Senate is controlled by Democrats, 51-49.

Hunter Biden is expected to plead guilty this week to two misdemeanor charges of failing to pay income taxes and to enter into an agreement that could avert a conviction on a gun-related charge.

The House Oversight Committee is expected to hold a closed-door interview on Monday with Devon Archer, a former business partner of Hunter Biden, who was convicted of securities fraud in a separate case. Archer already has canceled scheduled depositions three times.