Hot Takes: Democrats Respond to Impeachment Inquiry with the Usual Wailing and Gnashing of Teeth
House Republicans have taken a step closer to impeaching President Joe Biden. This move has been highly anticipated among the conservative base, who have been advocating for this since shortly after Biden first took office. But not everyone is happy about the development. When the news was announced, Democratic politicians had a collective meltdown and railed against the GOP for daring to suggest that their cherished president might not be fit for office.
On Tuesday, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) announced that House Republicans would be opening an impeachment inquiry over Biden and his son, Hunter.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has announced that the House will open an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden over his involvement with his son, Hunter Biden, and his business interests.
The Speaker made the announcement Tuesday morning the same day news leaked that he was expected to endorse such a move later this week. That was supposed to be in a meeting coming up on Thursday, but McCarthy seems to have moved up his timeline after the news broke.
“This logical next step will give our committees the full power to gather all the facts and answers for the American public,” McCarthy said Tuesday.
The intention is to delve deeper into investigations surrounding the president and his son, along with other issues. Some in the Republican Party took issue with the move. Moderates like Reps. Ken Buck (R-CO) and Don Bacon (R-NE) have both expressed concerns over pursuing impeachment. But it was mostly Democrats who wailed and gnashed their teeth in reaction to McCarthy’s announcement.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) took to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, to voice her disgust:
This impeachment is Kevin McCarthy’s shiny new object to distract the public from the fact that the GOP can’t even pass bills to fund the government. So, here we go — headed to an extreme MAGA Republican shutdown while they play political games with a non-starter impeachment.
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) also lashed out, calling the move “illegitimate.”
The illegitimate impeachment inquiry launched by Extreme MAGA Republicans is regrettable, reckless and reprehensible.
It is a political revenge tour that lacks any factual or constitutional basis.
Democrats will defend the truth and fight right-wing extremists at every turn.
Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) also chimed in, claiming that Republicans “have never been serious about governing.”
First day back in DC and Republicans are already threatening to shut down our government and starting baseless impeachment inquiries.
They have never been serious about governing.
Not to be outdone, Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX) also voiced her consternation:
Just in case there was any doubt, today's announcement by Speaker McCarthy solidifies just how far he'll go to please the MAGA extremists in his party.
A weak threat to impeach a president is the cost of remaining in power; it's easy to do when you lack any sort of shame.
Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) posted a written statement defending Democrats’ previous efforts to impeach former President Donald Trump and arguing that Republicans “have no basis whatsoever to launch this so-called inquiry.”
“In 2019, House Democrats moved on impeachment only after developing overwhelming evidence that Donald Trump had attempted to extort the government of Ukraine. In 2021, we needed very little time to determine who was responsible for the attack of January 6. Today’s House Republicans failed to articulate any specific charge against President Biden – because they have no basis whatsoever to launch this so-called inquiry. They have no evidence of misconduct. Their whistleblowers have been discredited time and time again. They have not even begun to approach the high bar of high crimes and misdemeanors. And they have done none of the work necessary to convince the American people that this stunt is a good idea—a political reality that I suspect will set in for them sooner, rather than later.”
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) also issued a statement claiming that House Republicans “are caving to Marjorie Taylor Greene and the MAGA Right.”
“The evidence shows no wrongdoing by President Biden, but the GOP is obviously forced to launch an impeachment inquiry regardless of the facts.
“Republican leaders are caving to Marjorie Taylor Greene and the MAGA Right, which is insisting on either a ridiculous government shutdown or a farcical impeachment exercise. What a choice they’re handing America.
Nevertheless, despite the Democrats’ barking, it appears the inquiry is going forward. The question is: Will House Republicans have the spine to follow through with impeachment when the time comes?
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