Biden impeachment: GOP witness says holding a vote on opening inquiry is ‘best practice’

Jonathan Turley, a legal expert and Republican witness at the first impeachment inquiry hearing, said that it would be of “best practice” for the House to hold a vote on opening an impeachment inquiry as opposed to the current leadership-driven process.

Turley, who was called by House Oversight Committee James Comer (R-KY) to be an expert witness, said he believes there should be a vote because it would give more weight to the House’s inquiry.

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“I’ve always said that I thought it was a best practice,” Turley said. “I always think it’s a good idea to bring it to the House floor.”

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) originally said he would hold a vote to open an impeachment inquiry but reversed course. He has not explained why he suddenly changed his position on holding a vote but would deflect and point out that then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) didn’t initially hold a vote to open an impeachment inquiry into former President Donald Trump in 2018.

In a memo sent to members of the House Oversight, Judiciary, and Ways and Means committees, Comer and Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) of Judiciary and Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) of Ways and Means pushed back against the need for a vote to hold an impeachment inquiry.

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“While the full House must vote to adopt any articles of impeachment, the full House need not vote to launch this impeachment inquiry,” the memo reads. “The Constitution, which, again, gives the House the sole power of impeachment, includes no requirement that the full House vote to start an impeachment inquiry. Neither do the Rules of the House of Representatives.”

Despite not holding a vote, Turley said the impeachment inquiry is still credible and warranted due to the evidence the committees have uncovered during the course of their normal investigations.