Yesterday, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy reassured fellow Republicans that an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden is on the table.
While his comments were the closest he’s come to broaching the subject of formal impeachment proceedings, he clarified that an inquiry is not yet imminent and that an inquiry would differ from an actual impeachment vote.
Complicating the situation for McCarthy is that many congressional Republicans who will soon be facing re-election are in districts that voted for Biden; districts whose voters would not necessarily be warm to the idea of impeachment, as POLITICO reported.
Thus, McCarthy is left with a delicate balancing act, trying to appease conservatives eager to impeach Biden, while simultaneously protecting seats in moderate districts that could swing the balance of power and eviscerate Republicans’ slim majority in the House.
In criticizing calls for impeachment, Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) said, “There are some people that aren’t going to be happy until everybody in Washington gets impeached. And it just looks like that’s the road we’re going down,” as noted by POLITICO.
Gonzales represents Texas’s 23rd congressional district, which is an R+5 district. But, historically, margins of victory have been tight, within just a few percentage points. In 2018, Republicans won the seat by just 926 votes.
“Impeachment is going to suck all the oxygen out of this place. … The people back at home in my district are worried about inflation, worried about the border, their kids being safe in school — you know, real issues,” Gonzales added.
During a private meeting with GOP leadership two days ago, some members expressed concern over the impact that impeachment would have on vulnerable members, according to a Republican who spoke anonymously with POLITICO. But, some swing-district Republicans aren’t completely rejecting the idea of impeachment.
The White House has dismissed impeachment discussion as politically motivated.
“Instead of focusing on the real issues Americans want us to address like continuing to lower inflation or create jobs, this is what the House GOP wants to prioritize,” White House spokesperson Ian Sams posted this week on the social media platform X. “Their eagerness to go after [Biden] regardless of the truth is seemingly bottomless.”
Several investigations, along with testimony provided to congressional committees, have resulted in renewed calls to move forward on impeaching Biden.
Last week, Sen. Chuck Grassley released an internal FBI document detailing allegations from an informant that Biden was involved in a bribery scheme. Corporate media outlets downplayed the report, repeatedly calling it unverified.
BREAKING: Senator Chuck Grassley has released the FD-1023 form claiming Joe Biden and Hunter Biden coerced Burisma CEO Mykola Zlochevsk to pay them $5,000,000 to get Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin fired.
Zlochevsk hired Hunter despite thinking he was "was stupid" and his… pic.twitter.com/iYlXmmrBNP
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 20, 2023
However, a separate report based on statements from an unnamed law enforcement source shows that the FBI was indeed able to corroborate some of the informant’s claims related to Biden and his son Hunter allegedly accepting $10 million in bribes.
Also, testimony from IRS whistleblowers has detailed corruption and politicization into investigations surrounding Biden and his family.
Republicans warn that investigations moving the party down the road toward impeachment must produce rock-solid information indicating impeachable offenses.
POLITICO quoted Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), one of the GOP’s most endangered incumbents, as saying: “Are the [investigations] producing enough facts and evidence that warrant taking it to the next step? I don’t think it’s there at the moment.”
If Republicans move forward on impeachment, part of the Democrats’ 2024 campaign strategy will be to target Republicans as engaging in political retribution for the dual impeachments of former President Donald Trump, the outlet explained.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who has been a vocal supporter of impeaching Biden since her first day in office, said, “An impeachment inquiry is looking very good. It’s looking promising. And I think it’s something that our conference is moving towards.”
