Investigations and Impeachments

Republicans prepare to take back the House—and make life difficult for President Joe Biden.

By
25
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik stand on the steps of the U.S. Capitol after a news conference. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call Inc. via Getty Images)

Hello and happy Election Day. If you haven’t already, get out and vote!

The outcome of today’s midterm elections isn’t certain, but Republicans look poised to win the House of Representatives. 

In Friday’s Uphill, we looked at the dynamics that could define a Republican House: policy priorities, messaging bills, personalities, and more. Today, we’re looking at which investigations—and impeachments—to expect.

The Specter of Impeachment

For months some House Republicans have clamored to impeach President Joe Biden. Sensing political danger, House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy is wary of beginning such proceedings, but he might not be able to stave it off.

Keep reading with a free account
Create a free Dispatch account to keep reading Get Started ALREADY HAVE AN ACCOUNT? SIGN IN
25
By
Comments (25)
Join The Dispatch to participate in the comments.
 
  1. Avatar photo
    Ben Connelly

    I’d love to know more about the lab leak vs. natural origin evidence. Right now it looks >50% likely to be a leak to me, but we definitely need to investigate that.

    Afghanistan withdrawal should get a full accounting, too, and if we learn something about the leaked Dobbs draft I’d be pretty interested in that.

    Collapse
  2. DTruitt

    The American voters want to see action, on a bipartisan basis, to address the issues voters base our votes on, not political theater. Inflation, economic growth, interest rates, wage growth, a stable energy supply. If GOPers ignore that stuff in order to focus on investigating or impeaching Biden, their stay in the majority in Congress may be very short.

    Now if Democrats refuse to address these issues by filibustering in the Senate or by Biden vetoing popular bills, then it will be the Dems who will be held to account by the voters.

    Republicans have to govern and not just play gotcha politics if they expect to have an enduring majority, or at least one that is longer than a single election cycle.

    Collapse
  3. Avatar photo
    PJ

    If Ivanka, Don Jr, and Eric were on my team I don't think I would be talking about Hunter. Just saying.

    Collapse
  4. Brad Hills

    Popcorn time. 🍿

    Collapse
  5. Kittyecws

    Wait, I thought Hunter Biden was already being investigated. Why not let the Courts investigate and punish? I think attempting to impeach Biden will just increase his popularity. It did with Clinton, and Trump, unfortunately. It never ceases to amaze me how stupid and unserious politicians can be and it seems to get worse over time. I think it’s all performance art. Politicians have become short sighted, looking only for temporary gain. There is no long-term strategy. It’s all aimed at revenge and owning the —- fill in the blanks.

    Collapse
    1. Retired Prosecutor

      Actually it is far more than Hunter Biden. The FBI needs a hard look after some of their misconduct re misleading the FISA court. Perhaps their counter-intelligence function needs to now be separated from their day-to-day criminal justice functions and assigned to someone else. That doesn't fit neatly into a criminal justice system prosecution.

      And remarkably, the Afghanistan fiasco has never received a bit of Congressional oversight -- and that's not within the remit of the American justice system. The Administration successfully with the help of a compliant majority in Congress, just made the disaster "go away." No one should be surprised as this was a turning point in the fortunes of the Biden Administration: before that Afghanistan was the last time the Biden Presidency had a favorability rating of 50%.

      As an example, important questions need to be asked and answered that may implicate both military and civilian judgment with regard to Afghanistan. What was the opinion of the military commanders in the field as to the mode and timing of the withdrawal? Who made the decision to abandon defensible Bagram AFB? Why was withdrawal doggedly pursued after the Taliban had violated their promise to "break" with Al Queda? Who made the original and totally arbitrary decision to withdraw on September 11th? Why was there no appetite to maintain at least a listening post in the country to monitor malign actors? Was there any consideration of the fact that total withdrawal meant abandoning access to rare earths?

      Collapse
      1. DTruitt

        When it comes to Afghanistan neither party or it’s President has clean hands on the bugout. And voters have been weary of that war and its burdens for many years. It is therefore not clear at all that there would be any political benefit for the GOP to lengthy investigations of how it ended rather ingloriously.

        Voters have made plain that we are concerned far more about today and tomorrow than we are about yesterday. Ignore that at the politicians’ peril.

        Collapse
  6. Avatar photo
    Earl King

    I’m tied of saying it but House Republicans always do stupid things to piss off the American public with small ball vendettas. Like each and every one of the Government shutdowns that ends in GOP humiliation and never achieve anything. There is no support for government shutdown and Biden is going to do what Clinton and Obama did. Nothing, kept to say he won’t cut the budget that feeds women and children. The House GOP is lot like Biden (according to Obama). Never underestimate the House Republicans to F things up.

    Collapse
    1. DTruitt

      There won’t be any shutdowns. There will be some brinkmanship on raising the debt limit as it is the gift that keeps on giving to Republicans who want to cut Dem spending down to size … but there will be no defaulting on the debt. McCarthy and McConnell aren’t idiots, even if they have some idiots in their caucuses.

      Collapse
      1. Avatar photo
        Abridge683

        Not idiots? McCarthy trying to both investigate/impeach Biden while all the while negotiating over debt default just doesn't seem like a tenable position. This is the guy who has publicly said (although not so recently) that he doesn't want to fund Ukraine's defense against the Russian invaders and who has strongly outspoken members of his party that don't "want another dime to go to Ukraine."

        So, yeah, good luck with that.

        Collapse
        1. DTruitt

          " This is the guy who has publicly said (although not so recently) that he doesn't want to fund Ukraine's defense against the Russian invaders and who has strongly outspoken members of his party that don't "want another dime to go to Ukraine."

          That's complete BS and you know it.

          McCarthy stated that he would not write a blank check for Ukraine's defense - that is the opposite of demanding no funding for Ukraine. He voted for the $40B already approved by Congress, of which less than half has actually been spent to date by the Biden admin ($15B to date). No Congressman or leader should ever write a blank check to anybody for anything.

          There are no leaders of the GOP who are calling for a cutoff of funding for Ukraine. None, zip, nada, and none again.

          You're simply engaging in untruthful propaganda.

          Collapse
    2. Avatar photo
      PJ

      This is why I am stocked up on popcorn. Bring it on children. 🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿

      Collapse
      1. Avatar photo
        Abridge683

        I'd rather be entertained by a congress that works toward the greater good of the United States and less grooming its own whackos.

        Collapse
        1. Avatar photo
          PJ

          I would too, but with the electorate we have I think that is expecting too much. This is why I support PUBLIC education any chance I get even though I will forever be childless.

          Collapse
  7. Avatar photo
    George.Skinner

    Republicans will probably generate endless fodder for Fox News and other right wing media outlets, but almost certainly will accomplish very little with these investigations. The ones that could dig up something significant will require a serious focus that's beyond the grandstanding media gadflies, and the conclusions will be far too nuanced and complex to be satisfying to partisans. The other investigations will either meander and muddle in search of an elusive smoking gun, or else if they're focused and properly scoped, will end up showing nothing like the Cyber Ninjas ballot audit in Arizona.
    Impeachment is going to be a problem. The justification for MAGA seems to be nothing more complicated than "they did it to our guy, so we'll do it to them!" That's going to accomplish nothing. A more serious case could be made around things like Biden's student loan forgiveness move or attempts to extend the eviction moratorium. It's about time that presidents were called to heel on unconstitutional executive actions, but it's going to be a very hard case to justify when Republicans excused blatantly unconstitutional acts by Trump on 2 occasions.
    If Republicans confined themselves to this MAGA freakshow for the next 2 years, it would just be a waste of time and annoying. However, the real danger is when they start playing games again with government shutdowns and the debt ceiling. It was a stupid idea that failed repeatedly in the Obama administration, and ended up doing real damage to national security when sequestration impacted defense readiness.

    Collapse
  8. Avatar photo
    DougAz

    Of course these Republicans have absolutely not one policy themselves to help Americans.

    Collapse
    1. DTruitt

      Of course you just stated obvious BS.

      Collapse
      1. Avatar photo
        DougAz

        Republican Policies:

        Cut Social Security
        Cur Medicare
        Cut taxes for millionaire and Billionaires again!
        Pass National Abortion Ban
        Increase Defense spending except 4 Ukraine
        Increase domestic spying
        Start a War
        Pass an everybody should own a gun tax break law
        Legislate away all Non Profit requirements for being a Charitable organization and can outright politic
        Overturn the remaining Civil Rights, Equal Rights, Voting Rights legislation.

        God. Guns. Glory

        That's a wrap on team Conservative and Republicans.

        Am I right??

        Collapse
        1. DTruitt

          None of those are "Republican policies".

          Collapse
          1. Avatar photo
            DougAz

            Ummm. Those are what Republicans candidates have said. So yea.

            Collapse
  9. Kelly me

    It will be a hot mess in the House. Buckle up

    Collapse
  10. Mll

    ​.......... It looks as though the "Democratic/Biden" side of the Deep State may be partially explored with the partial Republican/Trump-ish victory today. .........

    My Prediction: 4 House Impeachment and Deep State investigations before Trump is Re-Elected, e.g. November 2024 {After thinking, I revised my estimate to 10 or more!!! , My Bad}

    P.S. I'd like, in general, you to archive the emails, and link to the WEB page that both has the text and comments so that we can link to them and the comments.

    Collapse
Load More