The
House of Representatives voted 219-208 along party lines to
refer a privileged resolution offered by firebrand
Representative Lauren Boebert to two congressional committees.
Democrats had hoped to kill the measure outright.
Boebert alleged that Biden violated his oath by failing to
enforce immigration laws and secure the U.S.-Mexico border
against the synthetic opioid drug fentanyl.
Another hardliner, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, has
announced plans for similar impeachment initiatives against
Biden, two members of his Cabinet, FBI Director Christopher Wray
and a U.S. attorney prosecuting participants in the Jan. 6,
2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Some Republicans are eager to impeach Biden as retribution after
his predecessor, Republican Donald Trump, was twice impeached by
the then-Democratic-controlled House, once over Ukraine and once
for his actions ahead of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The impeachment effort is a new headache for House Speaker Kevin
McCarthy, who is also facing pressure from roughly a dozen
hardline Republicans who say they stand ready to block
legislation as they seek greater influence over the lower
chamber's agenda.
With Republicans holding a narrow 222-212 House majority, as few
as five hardliners can derail any bill that Democrats oppose
unanimously.
Under House rules, privileged resolutions pursued by Boebert and
Greene must come up for a vote within two legislative days.
Thursday's vote referred Boebert's resolution to the House
Homeland Security and Judiciary committees.
Greene said she would craft resolutions against Biden, Wray,
Attorney General Merrick Garland, Homeland Security Secretary
Alejandro Mayorkas and U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves.
McCarthy opposes such initiatives on impeachment, saying he
expects ongoing House committee investigations to produce
evidence against Biden and members of his administration that
can be used to build impeachment cases.
But Greene, who had previously introduced formal articles of
impeachment against Biden and others, told reporters that
privileged resolutions could be necessary because internal
Republican divisions have prevented the House Judiciary
Committee from acting on impeachment.
(Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Scott Malone and Jonathan
Oatis)
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