This week, facing pressure from the Corrupt Bargain, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced an impeachment inquiry into President Biden based on the complete lack of evidence presented by House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer. Clearly, McCarthy didn’t learn the old lesson about whether it’s smart to jump off a cliff if all your MAGA friends are doing it. Then it was reported that behind the scenes, the King of MAGAland, former President Trump, was talking with House Republicans about their impeachment “strategy.” Then, Comer couldn’t justify his own investigation to right-wing media who pressed him on his subpoena efforts. Maybe he should stick to hosting golf parties instead. Then, House Republican witnesses continued to debunk their conspiracy theories: it was reported that during congressional testimony an FBI agent leading the team in the Justice Department’s Hunter Biden case refuted allegations of political favoritism. Now, McCarthy is lashing out at MAGAland, but it’s too late, late, late, the Corrupt Bargain has come to collect his debts.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy Announced A Politically Motivated Impeachment Inquiry Based On The Hopes And Dreams Of James Comer
Newsweek (Op-Ed): “Biden’s Impeachment Inquiry Is Not Only Unwarranted, It’s a Political Fail for Republicans”
CNN: “Fact-checking McCarthy’s claims while launching Biden impeachment inquiry”
Factcheck.org: “FactChecking McCarthy’s Impeachment Inquiry Claims”
New York Times: “McCarthy, Facing an Ouster and a Shutdown, Orders an Impeachment Inquiry”
CNN: “McCarthy calls for formal impeachment inquiry into Biden amid pressure from conservatives”
ABC News: “McCarthy orders impeachment inquiry into Biden amid pressure from hard-liners”
Politico: “McCarthy gambles on Biden impeachment probe as shutdown looms”
Business Insider: “Marjorie Taylor Greene wants it be known that she is responsible for Kevin McCarthy moving forward on Biden’s impeachment”
MSNBC: “Kevin McCarthy’s ‘craven act’: Speaker panders to far-right with impeachment inquiry into Biden”
Newsweek: “Kevin McCarthy’s Hand is Forced by MAGA Republicans”
Vanity Fair: “Evidence Be Damned, Kevin McCarthy Is Plowing Ahead With Biden Impeachment”
Vanity Fair: “Kevin McCarthy’s Impeachment Push Isn’t Going to Satisfy House Republicans”
Daily Beast: “Republicans Worry About Kevin McCarthy’s ‘Self-Inflicted’ Impeachment Wound”
Slate: “The Real Aim of McCarthy’s Impeachment Inquiry Into Joe Biden”
The Nation: “Is Kevin McCarthy Burning Down the House?”
Mother Jones: “With Nothing on Joe Biden, Republicans Move Toward Impeaching Him Anyway”
Axios: “McCarthy vs. Himself”
Rolling Stone: “Kevin McCarthy Orders Impeachment Inquiry Against Biden Without House Vote”
New Republic: “Kevin McCarthy Caught in Lie of His Own Making on Biden Impeachment”
Daily Beast: “Jim Jordan Pulls a McCarthy, Flip-Flops on Impeachment Inquiry Vote”
Politifact: “Kevin McCarthy’s Full Flop on opening Joe Biden impeachment inquiry with a House vote”
Politico: “How Donald Trump’s DOJ gave Biden a major assist in the coming impeachment probe”
The Hill: “Senate GOP unhappy with McCarthy on impeachment inquiry: ‘It’s a fool’s errand’”
Washington Post (Editorial): “McCarthy’s impeachment inquiry will go nowhere. But it’s still a crisis.”
New York Times (Column): “Where Is the Evidence, Speaker McCarthy?”
USA Today (Column): “Kevin McCarthy and GOP launch impeachment inquiry against Biden. Look ma, no evidence!”
House Republicans Reportedly Coordinated With Former President Trump On A Strategy To Impeach President Biden
New York Times: “Trump Has Been Privately Encouraging G.O.P. Lawmakers to Impeach Biden”
- Two Nights Before House Speaker Kevin McCarthy Announced An Impeachment Inquiry Into President Biden, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Had Dinner With Former President Trump Where She Said She Briefed Trump On Impeachment Strategy. “On a sweeping patio overlooking the golf course at his private club in Bedminster, N.J., former President Donald J. Trump dined Sunday night with a close political ally, Marjorie Taylor Greene. It was a chance for the former president to catch up with the hard-right Georgia congresswoman. But over halibut and Diet Cokes, Ms. Greene brought up an issue of considerable interest to Mr. Trump — the push by House Republicans to impeach his likely opponent in next year’s election. ‘I did brief him on the strategy that I want to see laid out with impeachment,’ Ms. Greene said in a brief phone interview. Trump’s dinner with Ms. Greene came just two nights before Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced his decision on Tuesday to order the opening of an impeachment inquiry into President Biden, under intense pressure from his right flank.” [New York Times, 9/13/23]
- For One Month Before House Speaker McCarthy Announced An Impeachment Inquiry Into President Biden, Former President Trump Reportedly Spoke Weekly With Rep. Elise Stefanik About Impeachment Strategy. “Mr. Trump has also spoken weekly over the past month to Representative Elise Stefanik of New York, the third-ranking House Republican, according to a person familiar with the conversations who was not authorized to discuss them publicly. During those conversations, Ms. Stefanik also briefed Mr. Trump on the impeachment inquiry strategy, this person said.” [New York Times, 9/13/23]
- For Months Before House Speaker McCarthy Launched An Impeachment Inquiry Into President Biden, Former President Trump Had Reportedly Regularly Talked With House Freedom Caucus Members And Legislators Pushing For Impeachment. “Over the past several months, Mr. Trump has kept a close watch on House Republicans’ momentum toward impeaching Mr. Biden. Mr. Trump has talked regularly by phone with members of the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus and other congressional Republicans who pushed for impeachment, according to a person close to Mr. Trump who was not authorized to publicly discuss the conversations. Mr. Trump has encouraged the effort both privately and publicly.” [New York Times, 9/13/23]
Politico: “Trump privately discussed Biden impeachment with House GOPers”
New Republic: “Trump Is Secretly Strategizing With Republicans on Biden Impeachment”
HOUSE REPUBLICANS HAVE PREVIOUSLY COORDINATED WITH FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP ABOUT HIS INDICTMENTS
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy Directed Relevant Committees To Go After Manhattan DA, Alvin Bragg
HEADLINE: “House GOP Uses Its New Power In Extraordinary Effort To Shield Trump From Indictment” [CNN, 3/21/23]
Kevin McCarthy Claimed DA Bragg Was Pursuing Political Vengeance Against Donald Trump And Claimed He Would Be “Directing Relevant Committees To Immediately Investigate” The Prosecution. “Here we go again — an outrageous abuse of power by a radical DA who lets violent criminals walk as he pursues political vengeance against President Trump. I’m directing relevant committees to immediately investigate if federal funds are being used to subvert our democracy by interfering in elections with politically motivated prosecutions.” [Kevin McCarthy, Twitter, 3/18/23]
Chairmen Jim Jordan, James Comer, And Bryan Steil Sent A Letter To DA Bragg Accusing Him Of “Actions [That] Will Erode Confidence In The Evenhanded Application Of Justice And Unalterably Interfere In The Course Of The 2024 Presidential Election’” “House Republicans followed through with a pledge to investigate Bragg over claims of a politicized judicial process — but the probe is still in its infancy. Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), James Comer (R-Ky.) and Bryan Steil (R-Wis.) — the chairs of the Judiciary, Oversight and Administration committees — fired off a letter to Bragg accusing him of ‘actions [that] will erode confidence in the evenhanded application of justice and unalterably interfere in the course of the 2024 presidential election’ if Trump is indicted.” [Politico, 3/21/23]
Multiple Sources Confirmed Trump And Rep. Jim Jordan Spoke Regularly, And Trump’s Counsel Has Made Direct Requests Of Jordan To Investigate DA Bragg
March 2023: Multiple Sources Confirmed With CNN That President Trump And Jim Jordan Spoke Regularly – A Jordan Spokesperson Didn’t Deny The Allegations And Referred To It As “Regular Order.” “Multiple sources tell CNN that Trump and House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan speak regularly but declined to divulge whether those conversations included Jordan’s investigative efforts. ‘Conversations among concerned parties about issues facing the country are not news and regular order in Congress,’ Jordan’s spokesperson Russell Dye said in a statement to CNN.” [CNN, 3/29/23]
Trump’s Lawyer, Joe Tacopina, Wrote To Chairman Jim Jordan Calling On Congress To Investigate The “Abuse Of Power’ From A “Rogue Local District Attorney.” “Still, Mr. Trump’s lawyers have quietly urged the Republican-led House to interfere. Last month, Mr. Trump’s lawyer Joseph Tacopina wrote to Mr. Jordan calling on Congress to investigate the ‘egregious abuse of power’ by what he called a ‘rogue local district attorney,’ according to a copy of the letter obtained by The New York Times.” [New York Times, 3/20/23]
Other Members Of The Weaponization Subcommittee Reportedly Coordinate With Outside Groups And Trump Directly To Inform Him On The Committee’s Work
March 2023: House GOP Conference Chair, Elise Stefanik Reportedly Talked To President Trump Roughly Once A Week Or More, Briefing Him On The House Committees’ Work. “House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, the third-ranking House Republican, has become a key point person for Trump on Hill investigations. The New York Republican talks to Trump roughly once a week, and often more, frequently briefing him on the House committees’ work, three sources familiar with their conversations tell CNN. Trump often calls her as well, the sources said.” [CNN, 3/29/23]
- Stefanik And Trump Reportedly Spoke To Discuss The GOP’s Plan To Respond To Manhattan District Attorney Bragg. “Stefanik and Trump spoke several times last week alone, where she walked him through the GOP’s plans for an aggressive response to Bragg.” [CNN, 3/29/23]
CNN Reported Representatives On Key Investigative Committees Kept In Regular Contact With Trump-Aligned Outside Groups About Their Investigations. “Members on key investigative committees also keep in regular contact with Trump-aligned grassroots groups about investigations. Some of those groups have grown frustrated in recent weeks with how the House panels are conducting their work, including the time it took to hire individuals and get the investigative work started, multiple sources familiar with the matter said. GOP Rep. Dan Bishop, who serves on the weaponization subpanel, told CNN, ‘We’ve heard from outside groups a fair amount about ideas and recommendations.’” [CNN, 3/29/23]
- Weaponization Subcommittee Member, Rep. Dan Bishop, Told CNN That Outside Groups Have Provided Committees With “A Fair Amount” Of Ideas And Recommendations. “Members on key investigative committees also keep in regular contact with Trump-aligned grassroots groups about investigations. Some of those groups have grown frustrated in recent weeks with how the House panels are conducting their work, including the time it took to hire individuals and get the investigative work started, multiple sources familiar with the matter said. GOP Rep. Dan Bishop, who serves on the weaponization subpanel, told CNN, ‘We’ve heard from outside groups a fair amount about ideas and recommendations.’” [CNN, 3/29/23]
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Who Is On The House Oversight Committee Said She Spoke To Former President Trump Frequently And Kept Him Updated On Congressional Activity. “GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who serves on the House Oversight Committee, which is conducting a number of investigations into President Joe Biden, also speaks to Trump on a frequent basis. Both she and Stefanik have endorsed Trump’s 2024 presidential bid and are said to be interested in serving as his running mate. ‘I keep him up on everything that we’re doing,’ Greene told CNN. ‘He seems very plugged in at all times. Sometimes I’m shocked at how he knows all these things. I’m like, ‘How do you know all this stuff?’” [CNN, 3/29/23]
James Comer Proved Once Again His “Investigation” Is Nothing More Than A Politically Motivated Waste Of Time And Taxpayer Money
New Republic: “Comer Gives Away the Game When Asked Why He Won’t Just Subpoena Hunter Biden”
Daily Beast: “James Comer Can’t Explain to Newsmax Why He Won’t Just Subpoena Hunter Biden”
Raw Story: “’It’s very difficult’: James Comer squirms as Newsmax host asks why he won’t subpoena Hunter Biden”
PoliticsUSA: “James Comer Falls Apart When Asked Why He Won’t Subpoena Hunter Biden”
House Republican Witnesses Continue To Debunk Their Conspiracy Theories
Washington Post: “Senior FBI agent disputes some whistleblowers’ claims about Hunter Biden probe”
CNN: “FBI agent contests whistleblower claims in Hunter Biden case, transcript shows”
- An FBI Agent Managing The Team On The Justice Department’s Case Against Hunter Biden Testified To Congress That U.S. Attorney David Weiss Had Ultimate Authority Over The Case. “The FBI agent managing the team on the Hunter Biden criminal case testified to the House Judiciary Committee that US Attorney David Weiss had ultimate authority over the case, contesting testimony brought forward by whistleblowers. Thomas Sobocinski, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Baltimore field office, told committee investigators in a closed-door interview last week that from his perspective, Weiss had the authority to bring forward whatever charges he wanted in whatever venue he preferred.” [CNN, 9/13/23]
- An FBI Agent Managing The Team On The Justice Department’s Case Against Hunter Biden Disputed Allegations That U.S. Attorney David Weiss Was Previously Denied Special Counsel Status And Venues To Bring Forward Charges. “Sobocinski also disputed Shapley’s claim that Weiss said in the October 2022 meeting he was denied special counsel status and denied venues to bring forward charges. Sobocinski told the House Judiciary panel he was informed of Weiss’ special counsel status the day Attorney General Merrick Garland announced it last month, and that Weiss was not previously denied special counsel status as Shapley has claimed. ‘I don’t have a recollection with him saying that there or at any point in my communication with Mr. Weiss,’ Sobocinski said. ‘That would have been a total 180 from all our previous conversations about authorities.’” [CNN, 9/13/23]
The Messenger: “FBI Agent Pushes Back on Political Interference Claims in Hunter Biden Probe”
Daily Kos: “Key witness in Hunter Biden case contradicts so-called whistleblowers’ testimony”