September 13, 2023 03:12 PM
The White House ripped House Speaker Kevin McCarthy‘s (R-CA) decision to direct three Republican committee chairmen to initiate an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden and his family’s business dealings.
“I’m going to refer you to my colleagues over at the counsel’s office on any specifics to the inquiry,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Wednesday of the Office of the General Counsel. “I’m certainly not going to speculate on what has been a baseless inquiry that the House Republicans can’t even really defend themselves and that many House Republicans have said they couldn’t support their own votes.”
REPUBLICAN THREAT BECOMES REAL FOR BIDEN AFTER IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY
The inquiry is baseless, Jean-Pierre contended, because evidence of the alleged corruption “does not exist” and McCarthy declined to decide whether to initiate proceedings with a vote.
“Republicans should work with us on legitimate issues, things that actually matter to the American people,” she said, alluding to the prospect of a federal government shutdown.
Jean-Pierre similarly declined to describe Biden’s response to the inquiry, instead repeating that he is concentrating on issues, including the economy and cancer research.
Jean-Pierre’s unwillingness to answer questions concerning the inquiry, while not unusual, contrasts with her superior, communications director Ben LaBolt.
“Speaker McCarthy had 24 hours to come up with an answer about why he reversed his position calling for a vote to proceed on the impeachment inquiry,” LaBolt posted on social media. “He came up with nothing.”
Speaker McCarthy had 24 hours to come up with an answer about why he reversed his position calling for a vote to proceed on the impeachment inquiry. He came up with nothing. https://t.co/5pHXSO5lUO
— Ben LaBolt (@WHCommsDir) September 13, 2023
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McCarthy’s inquiry press conference preempted Rep. Matt Gaetz‘s (R-FL) plans this week to speak on the House floor and host a press call after saying he could try to oust the speaker.
Despite McCarthy’s announcement, Gaetz remained adamant he is “out of compliance” with his agreement with more conservative Republicans for their endorsement of his speakership, such as term limits, a balanced budget amendment, Congress’s Jan. 6 security video recordings, and a Hunter Biden subpoena.