Republican lawmakers may seek to force a vote to impeach President Biden — and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy could be ousted if he blocks them, Rep. Matt Gaetz warned on Tuesday.
Gaetz (R-Fla.) expressed frustration with the slow pace of GOP leadership’s efforts to impeach the 80-year-old president and members of his administration during the interview with conservative radio host Todd Starnes.
The congressman also voiced lawmakers’ lack of interest in using the “toolkit” of rules and procedures he and other Republicans negotiated with McCarthy (R-Calif.) as part of a deal to secure his speakership in January.
“I have traveled the country and talked to so many Americans. They are upset with House Republicans right now. They think that we are not fighting a major battle to defeat the worst elements of this Biden administration,” Gaetz said during the interview.
Rep. Matt Gaetz argued that Republicans must force a vote on impeachment when the House reconvenes next week.AFP via Getty Images
“I worked hard in January to develop a toolkit for us to reorient the House of Commons in a productive and positive way. I don’t believe we have used those tools as effectively as we should have,” he added.
McCarthy agreed to lower the threshold for a motion to remove him as House speaker from five members to one as part of a deal to end the marathon 15-round speaker election in January, and Gaetz on Tuesday threatened to invoke the motion if McCarthy is not more willing to pursue articles of impeachment. when the House returns to next week’s session.
McCarthy has suggested that the House will first vote on whether to open an impeachment inquiry against the president before considering a vote on articles of impeachment.AP
“When we go back to Washington in the next few weeks, we need to seize the initiative,” Gaetz said. “This means forcing a vote for impeachment. And if Kevin McCarthy stops us, he might not have a job for long. So let’s hope he works with us, not against us, but we have a contingency plan in case he’s not very productive.”
McCarthy has teased the possibility of opening an impeachment inquiry into Biden when the House reconvenes if the administration is not more forthcoming with documents related to his family’s overseas business dealings and allegations that he accepted bribes as vice president.
Last week, McCarthy revealed that a House floor vote will determine whether an impeachment inquiry is opened against the president if the lower house decides to pursue a congressional investigation.
Calls to impeach President Biden stem from his handling of the immigration crisis and corruption allegations as vice president. ZUMAPRESS.com
The House speaker has had to balance calls for impeachment from more far-right members of the party, such as Gaetz and Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) — both of whom have already introduced moves to impeach the president — with unease expressed by some centrist Republicans about opening an impeachment inquiry.
“What are House Republicans doing when Democrats are ARMING our government against the American people?” Gaetz tweeted Tuesday.
“Tens of millions of Americans are putting their hope in the House of Representatives to stop the bad things that are happening. However, I offer you this sincere confession: we did not put up the fight you deserve and it hurts me. Lots to do. We in the Majority have the power to do it, but we must stop playing around like Nero when Rome was burning,” he added.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
