Why are Republicans chickening out now?
Senate Republicans are cautious about the idea of impeaching President Biden before the 2024 election, as they believe it could alienate moderate voters. Instead, they prefer to focus on shaping the future and improving the lives of Americans rather than getting entangled in past political disputes.
According to The Hill, Senator John Thune, the Senate Republican Whip, emphasized that winning an election by concentrating on the future is the most effective way to change the country’s direction.
Chairwoman Joni Ernst, from the Senate Republican Policy Committee, expressed her priority in focusing on national security policy during the ongoing debates on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). She aims to achieve a bipartisan agreement between the House and the Senate.
Speaker Kevin McCarthy hinted at the possibility of initiating an impeachment inquiry but later clarified that no decision had been made yet. He highlighted the importance of gathering necessary information through an impeachment inquiry, which grants Congress significant investigative power.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell chose not to comment on McCarthy’s potential impeachment push.
Senate Republicans have generally distanced themselves from the House-led investigations into the Biden family’s business dealings, and they previously dismissed an impeachment motion filed by Rep. Lauren Boebert for lacking evidence and due process.
Senator John Cornyn expressed concern about the feasibility of impeachment with a Democratic majority in the Senate. He also criticized the increasing trend of impeaching presidents, referencing the impeachment of former President Trump in both 2019 and 2021, and warned against it becoming a common practice.
In conclusion, Senate Republicans prefer to concentrate on legislative matters and future policies, rather than pursuing impeachment proceedings against President Biden. They urge their colleagues in the House to consider the potential consequences of such actions.