According to The Washington Post contributor Jacqueline Alemany, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) appeared to agree with moderate Republicans in a closed-door meeting that there’s less of a political imperative to impeach Joe Biden.
“In a private meeting with moderates this week, the new Speaker appeared to agree with members who argued that since Biden’s polling numbers have been weaker, there is less of a political imperative to impeach him,” Alemany said.
“Johnson also indicated that there is insufficient evidence at the moment to initiate formal impeachment proceedings during the meeting,” she added.
Johnson also indicated that there is insufficient evidence at the moment to initiate formal impeachment proceedings during the meeting.
“… high crimes & misdemeanors? I don’t think we’ve seen that… I feel like [Johnson] really agreed with us on that,” said @RepDonBacon https://t.co/cPmCId97rI
— Jacqueline Alemany (@JaxAlemany) November 10, 2023
POLITICO reports:
The House GOP’s three-week struggle last month to select a new speaker all but halted momentum on their impeachment inquiry of President JOE BIDEN. And now that MIKE JOHNSON has the gavel, it’s not clear that the push will ever regain the same momentum.
WaPo’s Jacqueline Alemany reports today that Johnson has taken a more reserved tone toward the investigation, suggesting in a meeting this week with GOP centrists “that there is insufficient evidence at the moment to initiate formal impeachment proceedings.”
“Johnson appeared to agree with Republican lawmakers who argued that since Biden’s polling numbers have been so weak, there is less of a political imperative to impeach him,” Alemany writes.
Meanwhile, after the House Oversight Committee Chair JAMES COMER (R-Ky.) frustrated some of his colleagues after a bumbling first hearing back in September, “[t]he chorus of House Republicans urging caution in the inquiry has only grown since Johnson assumed the speaker’s seat, with some arguing that Republicans should not mimic what they viewed as politicized and rushed impeachments against former president [former President DONALD] TRUMP.”
Social media users commented on the alleged comments:
Speaker Mike Johnson: “There is insufficient evidence at the moment to initiate formal impeachment proceedings.”
Congratulations everyone!
— Cernovich (@Cernovich) November 10, 2023
🚨BREAKING: Speaker Mike Johnson on the President Biden impeachment inquiry: “There is insufficient evidence at the moment to initiate formal impeachment proceedings.”
Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/ooQhzQKbGt
— Ian Jaeger (@IanJaeger29) November 10, 2023
Behind closed doors, reports claim Mike Johnson is not too interested in pursuing a Biden impeachment. pic.twitter.com/i7Fceo7uQP
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) November 10, 2023
The Hill noted:
House Republicans are approaching their Biden impeachment inquiry with renewed vigor following the election of Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who has cautioned against rushing an investigation even as he’s previously accused the president of bribery.
As Speaker, Johnson has stressed a reserved approach to impeachment, invoking the founders in calling it the “heaviest power that we have,” while saying he has no predetermined outcome.
But as a prominent voice of the House Judiciary Committee, he was vocal in criticizing President Biden, at one point saying bribery is “what happened here.”
House Republicans have failed to demonstrate that Biden took a bribe — an allegation that surfaced as a result of a conversation with a Ukrainian oligarch that came to the FBI in a tip the bureau was unable to verify.
The White House has vigorously denied any wrongdoing by Biden and noted that even as Republicans have pored over the business dealings of his brother and son, they’ve failed to connect the president to their work overseas.
But as Johnson takes the helm from a former Speaker who at times seemed reluctant to pursue the matter, he said last week the House would soon have to determine how to move forward with an investigation shared across three committees.
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Johnson’s alleged closed-door comments follow the House Oversight Committee issuing subpoenas for Biden family members.
From WLTReport:
Two members of the Biden crime family have finally been issued subpoenas.
On Wednesday, the House Oversight Committee, led by James Comer, issued subpoenas to Hunter Biden and James Biden. Congressional lawmakers also wish to interview other members of the family.
According to sources, the family accumulated roughly $24 million in payments due to their combined business deals.
Previously, it was thought that Congressional Republicans would never actually move forward with the proceedings against the Biden family.
Rep. Matt Gaetz had this to say: “This is what happens when you trade a California lottery winner for a constitutional lawyer in the Speaker’s office.”