House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) pushed back on the administration’s criticism of his unilateral declaration that he was authorizing an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden by indicating the White House itself pushed him to the limit.
In an appearance Thursday evening with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, the speaker explained that the White House Counsel’s Office meddling in the ongoing investigation was what led him to launch a formal inquiry.
“The money that [President Joe Biden] got for Hunter Biden being on the board, he never declared it. What did the Biden administration do with the DOJ? They let the statute of limitations run out with the IRS, which the IRS would never allow you to do,” McCarthy said.
“Remember why Hunter Biden — what he told why he was on that board. He said he had no experience. He was there because it was part of the Biden brand. You can tell what is happening at the White House,” he continued.
“The Bidens have given the marching orders to the media. They know that they don’t want to provide the information to the American people. The American people deserve it. That is exactly why I did the impeachment inquiry,” he added, explaining himself further.
He then noted what the inquiry would do in practice.
“It empowers Congress from the Republicans and Democrats to be able to get the answers to all of these questions from the informant that told the FBI that he alleges there was a bribe to the Biden family, to when we find he used different names and emails,” McCarthy continued.
“Where he actually talked with his own office, sent to Hunter Biden as well, about Ukraine. And then when you look at when he told the American public he never had any dealings with his son or talked about his business, but he goes to meetings,” he said.
“Think for one moment. Did he know when he went to dinner his son would get a new Porsche? Did he know when he went back to Cafe Milano for another dinner, more than $3 million would go to another shell company? These all are questions that deserve to be answered,” McCarthy added.
During a campaign reception in McLean, Virginia, Biden finally addressed the potential for impeachment, saying, “Look, before I close, I want to say a word about impeachment.”
He referred to comments by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who had stated her intention to impeach him upon her election.
“It was pointed out to me today that [Republican Georgia Rep.] Marjorie Taylor Greene, the first day she was elected, said, ‘First thing we want to do is impeach Biden.’ Well, I tell you what, I don’t know quite why, but they just knew they wanted to impeach me. And now, the best I can tell, they want to impeach me because they want to shut down the government,” he said.
“I don’t know quite why, but they just knew they wanted to impeach me. And now, the best I can tell, they want to impeach me because they want to shut down the government.”
Several freshmen Democrats who helped the party take back the House in 2018 also vowed to impeach then-President Donald Trump, the most notable being then-Rep.-elect Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, who declared at a post-election party, “We’re gonna impeach this motherf**ker!” to wild cheers.
