SHOT: Vulnerable Republicans Say There Isn’t Enough Evidence to Impeach Biden. “House Speaker Kevin McCarthy faces unease within his ranks about impeaching President Joe Biden, with some politically vulnerable and centrist Republicans indicating they don’t believe there is enough evidence to take such a drastic step.” [NBC News, 8/9/23]
- Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY): “Lawler told CNN repeatedly he’s not ready to support an impeachment inquiry into Biden, even as he contended there was ‘damaging and disturbing facts’ by the GOP probe into the president’s son Hunter Biden. Republicans are trying to tie Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings to his father’s actions as vice president, but so far they haven’t proven that the president took official action to benefit his son. ‘I think for me with respect to impeachment, we’re not there yet,’ he told CNN.” [CNN, 8/11/23]
- Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA): Says he doesn’t want to rush into impeachment.
“We’ve got to get back to a point where impeachment is what it was intended to be. I feel like, you know, both in the last cycle and in this cycle, we’re converting into essentially a vote of no confidence in the British Parliament. And I don’t want to see our country go down that path,” [NBC News, 8/9/23] - Rep Don Bacon (R-NE): He made clear “it’s too early for a formal impeachment inquiry.” “We should have more confidence that actual high crimes and misdemeanors occurred before starting a formal impeachment inquiry,” [NBC News, 8/9/23]
CHASER: James Comer’s Latest Report Was a Bellyflop With No Evidence and No New Information.
- CNN: “But, so far, it appears the committee has not found any direct evidence that President Biden personally benefited from any of his son’s business dealings. Republicans are now insisting they don’t have to.” “The memo follows the increasing drumbeat from many House Republicans – and certainly the GOP presidential frontrunner Donald Trump – to pursue impeachment of the sitting president even without a clear establishment of facts. But, so far, it appears the committee has not found any direct evidence that President Biden personally benefited from any of his son’s business dealings. Republicans are now insisting they don’t have to.” [CNN, 8/9/23]
- Punchbowl News: “Republicans haven’t tied any official actions by Biden as vice president to the money received by Hunter Biden, other family members or their business associates.” “Up to this point, Republicans haven’t tied any official actions by Biden as vice president to the money received by Hunter Biden, other family members or their business associates. [Punchbowl News, 8/10/23]
- Raw Story: ‘Where’s the bribe?’ Comer slammed after months of unproven attacks on Biden. “House Republican Oversight Chairman Jim Comer is increasingly coming under fire after months of his committee’s investigations, including public and private hearings, have unearthed no reported factual substantiation of his allegations and attacks against President Joe Biden… Little has changed, except charges from Democrats and even some Republicans that Chairman Comer’s claims about President Biden have never been proven.” [Raw Story, 8/9/23]