House Republicans have been holding it over Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Attorney General Merrick Garland, and even President Joe Biden himself. They are threatening impeachment against Biden and his top Cabinet officials, creating a buzz about “high crimes and misdemeanors” that is driving legislative action, committee investigations, fundraising, and complicating the plans of Speaker Kevin McCarthy and his team.
Impeachment, once seen as a last resort, is becoming more commonplace. Republicans, fueled by their grievances from the previous impeachments of President Donald Trump, are now pushing the boundaries of how impeachment can be used as a political weapon.
Republicans are so opposed to Trump’s impeachments that they are pushing for votes to expunge the charges, something that has never been done before in congressional history.
Julian Zelizer, a historian and political scientist from Princeton University, describes this as a generation of Republicans who are willing to test the limits of procedural weaponization.
McCarthy recently targeted Attorney General Garland for a potential impeachment investigation regarding the Department of Justice’s handling of Hunter Biden’s tax offenses. It was a tumultuous week where hard-right Republicans forced a vote to send articles of impeachment against Biden to a committee, and also censured Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff for his actions during the investigation into Trump’s Russia ties.
There are even calls for another censure action, this time against Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson for his leadership in the committee investigating the January 6th insurrection.
In the past, censure has been seen as punishment for serious misconduct. However, it has now become a frequent occurrence in breaking news, losing its rarity.
Last week’s censure of Schiff turned into a spectacle, with Democrats heckling McCarthy and Republicans leaving the chamber in disbelief.
Lawmakers continue to pursue punishment because it brings media attention and fundraising dollars, making it a new source of power in the House.
Rep. Luna, who recently censured Schiff, gained media attention and was interviewed on Fox News. On the other hand, Schiff used the moment to his advantage and leveraged it for fundraising.
However, this appetite for punishment could lead to a deeper test of Congress’s legitimate use of power, especially when it comes to Biden. Rep. Boebert forced a vote on an impeachment resolution against Biden for his handling of the border issue.
While Republican leaders were successful in delaying the impeachment resolution, some Republicans believe it’s only a matter of time before Biden faces impeachment. This could potentially test the checks and balances system created by the framers of the Constitution.
Republicans’ impeachment argument against Biden focuses on policy disagreements, particularly his handling of the southern border, which they argue goes against his oath of office.
Using impeachment on these grounds could have lasting consequences, weakening the government’s function and eroding trust in democracy.
In conclusion, the power of impeachment is being wielded more frequently, driven by Republican grievances. The push for punishment is gaining attention and fundraising, but it also risks damaging the integrity of the democratic process.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
