Since August 6 — a lifetime ago in 21st century social-media-driven politics — Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy has offered as his pinned tweet on X the assertion that President Joe Biden told two “lies” about his dealings with his son Hunter Biden‘s business.
McCarthy ended the tweet calling Biden a liar with the claim and the promise that “House investigations revealed these facts, and Republicans will keep exposing the truth.”
When Joe Biden was running for president, he told the American public:
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) August 6, 2023
❌ He never talked business with Hunter
❌ His family never received a dime from China
Both lies.
House investigations revealed these facts, and Republicans will keep exposing the truth. pic.twitter.com/xTBRPyX2cY
But McCarthy’s promise and assertion ultimately weren’t enough to satisfy the far right wing of his party or its constituents, who keep demanding that accusatory tweets and strongly worded letters are weak sauce — and that GOP lawmakers like McCarthy need to up the ante. (To up it to impeachment, if he wants to stay in the game.)
MAGA congressional mainstays Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene have been unrelenting in calling for the McCarthy-led House to impeach Biden. Today, McCarthy acquiesced to the pressure, saying he would support an impeachment inquiry in the House. Calling the President a liar and pushing the narrative that Biden is corrupt — as McCarthy has done repeatedly and as his pinned tweet shows — was not enough for Trump, Greene, Gaetz, et al.
It’s a pressure-cooker turnabout for McCarthy, as White House spokesman for oversight and investigations Ian Sams indicates below:
Maybe someone should ask him:
— Ian Sams (@IanSams46) September 12, 2023
Prior to the midterms, you said “the country doesn’t like impeachment used for political purposes” but now you’re doing just that, as Gaetz threatens your speakership and MTG says she’ll shutdown the government unless you do impeachment
What gives? https://t.co/Doc3TFuQZH pic.twitter.com/6nXn6r0mE4
[A sort of shadow impeachment inquiry has been underway through Chair James Comer‘s House Oversight Committee, but its powers are limited by its need to prove materials it requests about Biden are for “legislative” purposes. An authorized impeachment inquiry would have no such guardrails. Ranking member of the committee Jamie Raskin has called Comer’s investigation disingenuous and “shameful” — and the results a “flop.”]
I am directing our House committees to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. Over the past several months, House Republicans have uncovered serious and credible allegations into President Biden’s conduct—a culture of corruption. https://t.co/3uoDlUB3Sy
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) September 12, 2023
Even with his latest turn, McCarthy may not be able to satisfy Gaetz, as the inquiry may need votes McCarthy can’t muster in order to succeed. Greene, for her part, backed off the “rush” to impeach Biden in an uncharacteristic tweet this week, seeming to admit that an impeachment would require evidence of wrongdoing by Joe Biden — evidence that Comer’s inquiry so far has been unable to present.
Marine veteran, lawyer, former Republican and political commentator Ron Filipkowski says McCarthy’s motivation comes from a Florida resident more powerful than Gaetz, writing “Without any evidence, he is calling for an impeachment inquiry into President Biden — simply because Donald Trump and Marjorie Taylor Greene told him to.”
Kevin McCarthy is currently engaged in one of the biggest scandals in American history.
— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) September 12, 2023
Without any evidence, he is calling for an impeachment inquiry into President Biden — simply because Donald Trump and Marjorie Taylor Greene told him to.
No media organization should treat…
