Kevin McCarthy, the Speaker of the House, is reportedly attempting to channel Representative Lauren Boebert’s impeachment resolution against President Joe Biden toward a House committee. His intention seems to be to bide time, rather than push for an immediate floor vote that Boebert, the Colorado congresswoman, has been advocating for.
Boebert ignited a discussion on the House floor with a privileged motion this Tuesday, pressing for a vote on articles of impeachment she launched against President Biden. She argued that the unfolding border crisis indicates Biden’s actions as being “grossly incompatible with the rule of law.”
However, in a closed-door session with fellow Republicans on Wednesday, McCarthy voiced his opposition to moving forward with the impeachment process prematurely, as reported by CNN through unnamed sources. The Speaker from California highlighted that an impulsive move could potentially undermine the diligent efforts of various committees.
“We should ponder about the kind of majority we want to be – one that merely retaliates every two years or one that holds power for a decade to bring about substantial change?” he asked his Republican colleagues.
According to The Associated Press, the House is slated to vote on Thursday to divert the resolution to the Homeland Security and Judiciary committees.
Boebert, however, remains undeterred, stating that if no action was taken post the resolution reached the said committees, she would reintroduce it on the House floor “every day for the rest of my time here in Congress.”
McCarthy and several other Republicans believe that Boebert’s actions may have skipped necessary procedural steps needed to construct a compelling case. The House Speaker stressed the importance of working within the established framework.
“Simply charging onto the floor without building the case and argument does not do justice to the American public,” McCarthy stated, as reported by ABC News.
Encouraging teamwork, he added, “We are stronger when we work as a unit. Let us follow our investigations as we have always stated. We are unearthing new information every day.”
Chairman of the Oversight Committee, Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, and Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska echoed similar sentiments. They emphasized the importance of thorough investigation, due process, and avoiding politicization of the impeachment process, a precedent they feel was set by the Democratic majority.
In response, Boebert firmly stands her ground. She insists that under Biden’s administration, Coloradans have suffered due to increased crime rates and drug overdoses resulting from what she calls his unconstitutional dereliction of duty at the border. For Boebert, the quest for impeachment is deeply personal and resonates with every Coloradan who lost a loved one to fentanyl.
