GOP's Impeachment Stunt Against Biden Gains Momentum: High Vibes and Misdemeanors | Vanity Fair

Written by Molly Jong-Fast

George Santos served as a congressman up until Friday morning and by Monday had joined Cameo. The removal of Santos, known for his untruthfulness and facing 23 federal charges, provided an opportunity for Republican leadership to occupy a fraction of the moral high ground. However, Santos, who has pleaded not guilty, did not garner the support of Speaker Mike Johnson, who encouraged fellow representatives to “vote their conscience,” without directly influencing the vote. Johnson's effectiveness at vote whipping has been questioned in light of his track record of difficulties encountered in the passage of other bills since assuming his position.

Key figures in GOP leadership including Johnson, Steve Scalise, Elise Stefanik, and Tom Emmer opposed the expulsion of Santos. After losing his seat, Santos spent the subsequent weekend targeting former New York congresspersons including Jamaal Bowman, Mike Lawler, and Nicole Malliotakis on X, prior to being utilized by John Fetterman to provoke Bob Menendez.

The unsightly conclusion of the Santos saga could have arguably been the most detrimental incident for the GOP this month if it were not for the ongoing futile and embarrassing attempts by the House to impeach Joe Biden. The 78-page report accusing Biden of corruption lacks any concrete evidence, emulating previous strategies used during the tenure of Kevin McCarthy as GOP leader.

Johnson not only caters to the whims of Matt Gaetz and his band of community disruptors who ousted McCarthy, but is beholden to Donald Trump as well. Trump's sole desires are to evade incarceration and to muddle the political waters sufficiently to secure his re-election as the 47th President of the United States. To this end, he has asked for Biden's impeachment as a Christmas gift.

Texas Republican Troy Nehls, who voted against Trump's impeachment for inciting the January 6 insurrection, conceded that targeting Biden serves a dual purpose - it not only advances political agendas but also provides Trump with “a little bit of ammo to fire back” by reminding everyone that Biden was also impeached. Johnson has also purportedly proposed a strategic justification for impeaching Biden.

Although Nancy Pelosi committed to safeguarding her susceptible members and even McCarthy initiated impeachment hearings without a House vote, there appears to be no such restraint from Johnson about pushing Republicans in Biden-governed districts to formally vote for impeachment. His plan seems to have some support, as last week, Punchbowl News reported that four at-risk republicans—Marc Molinaro, Nick LaLota, Brandon Williams, and John Duarte—were indeed in favor of initiating impeachment proceedings. Duarte has even predicted that a vote will take place soon, likely before the year ends.

In a recent appearance on the Fox and Friends morning show along with Stefanik, Johnson suggested that Trump will receive his requested Christmas gift: an attempt at the impeachment of Biden, referred to by Johnson as "a necessary step."

How more suitable could it be to commemorate the incapability to pass a spending bill other than by moving to impeach a president to appease a potentate hopeful?

The memory of the consequences Republicans faced while attempting to impeach a Democratic president seems to have faded from collective memory. As a reminder, Democratic strategist James Carville was consulted, and he expressed his desire for House Republicans to start an impeachment process, guaranteeing them that the outcome would be unfavorable. As history reveals, following the launch of Bill Clinton's impeachment in October 1998, Republicans fared poorly in the midterms, despite typically having a better standing, leading to a loss of five House seats, with no Senate gains. This was a setback that resulted in reluctance about future impeachments, something the contemporary GOP seems to have ignored or disregarded.

The problem Republicans are facing, in the words of Democratic congressman Ro Khanna, is that rather than focusing their efforts on passing measures to reduce the costs of food, gas, and child care following a prolonged period without a House Speaker, they are wasting their time trying to impeach President Biden without any solid grounds. He pointed out that this move is not serious or substantial, but rather a politically motivated stunt to divert attention from the turmoil within their faction.