Matt Gaetz threatens to force vote on Biden impeachment

Republican lawmakers may seek to force a vote on impeaching President Biden — and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy could be ousted if he gets in their way, Rep. Matt Gaetz warned on Tuesday. 

Gaetz (R-Fla.) expressed frustration with the slow pace of GOP-led efforts to impeach the 80-year-old president and members of his administration during an interview with conservative radio host Todd Starnes. 

The congressman also vented about the lack of interest lawmakers have in using a “toolkit” of rules and procedures that he and other Republicans negotiated with McCarthy (R-Calif.) as part of a deal to secure his speakership in January.

“I have traveled the country and spoken to so many Americans. They’re disillusioned with House Republicans right now. They think that we have not put up a substantial battle to defeat the worst elements of this Biden administration,” Gaetz said during an interview with conservative radio host Todd Starnes. 

“I worked very hard in January to develop a toolkit for us to be able to reorient the House of Representatives in a productive and positive way. I don’t believe we’ve used those tools as effectively as we should have,” he added. 

McCarthy agreed to lower the threshold for a motion to remove him as speaker of the House from five members to one as part of the deal to end his 15 round marathon speakership election in January, and Gaetz on Tuesday threatened to invoke the motion if McCarthy isn’t more willing to pursue articles of impeachment when the House is gaveled back into session next week. 

“When we get back to Washington in the coming weeks, we have got to seize the initiative,” Gaetz argued. “That means forcing votes on impeachment. And if Kevin McCarthy stands in our way, he may not have the job long. So let’s hope that he works with us, not against us, but we’ve got contingency plans in the event that he’s not as productive.” 

McCarthy has teased the possibility of opening an impeachment inquiry against Biden when the House reconvenes if the administration isn’t more forthcoming with documents related to his family’s overseas business dealings and allegations that he accepted bribes as vice president. 

Last week, McCarthy revealed that a House floor vote would determine whether an impeachment inquiry is opened against the president if the lower chamber decides to move forward with a congressional investigation. 

The House speaker has had to balance calls for impeachment from more right-wing members of the party, such as Gaetz and Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) – both of whom have already introduced revolutions to impeach the president – with the unease that some centrist Republicans have expressed about opening an impeachment inquiry. 

“What are House Republicans even doing as Democrats WEAPONIZE our government against Americans?” Gaetz tweeted Tuesday. 

“Tens of millions of Americans rest their hope on the House of Representatives to stop the terrible things that are going on. However, I offer you this sincere confession: we aren’t putting up the fight you deserve and it sickens me. There is plenty that needs to be done. We in the Majority have the power to do it, but we must stop fiddling around like Nero as Rome burns,” he added.