CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- This week, Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy launched an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden regarding possible malfeasance involving his son, Hunter.

"It would be the biggest political scandal in the history of the country," said Representative Bob Good.

Dr. Larry Sabato with the University of Virginia Center for Politics says House Republicans just don't have the votes to impeach, but they won't give up.

"They are certainly doing everything they can to find something that links Joe Biden to the nefarious activities of Hunter Biden. But they don't have anything," he said.

Sabato says the effort to impeach is no longer a check on the presidency.

"This has become kabuki theater," he said, calling it "more of the same from the same group of far, far right members."

Then there is the issue of governing. In just two weeks, the government will shut down without a funding deal. Some Republicans, like Good, are already on record saying there shouldn't be fear of a shutdown, and that's making it hard on McCarthy.

"Because the Republicans will be solely responsible. And, history has proven that it's the party that causes the shutdown that suffers inevitably the most," said Sabato.

"Eighty-five percent of the government continues to operate, Social Security checks still go out, veteran benefits continue, the military continues. And, I think that we can do this if the Speaker would lead, as he should be, we can do it close to the end of the month, if not early October, where there'll be minimal impact," said Good.

Regardless, Sabato says the likelihood of an impeachment, whether it be Biden or someone else, won't happen in the foreseeable future.

"If they couldn't convict Trump, after the things he did on Jan. 6, you know that the whole process is dead," said Sabato.

Sabato says the impeachment inquiry is just a tactic being used by the Republicans to grab headlines and excite their base which, they hope, would lead to a large voter turnout.