House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy vowed Wednesday to retaliate if Democrats try to push an impeachment in order to delay a Supreme Court nomination, saying he would attempt to oust Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
“If she tries to move for an impeachment based upon the president following the Constitution. I think there’ll be a move on the floor to have her no longer — on the question of her being speaker,” Mr. McCarthy, California Republican, said at his weekly press conference.
The impeachment idea was floated among some Democrats since the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Mrs. Pelosi, California Democrat, did acknowledge it was an “arrow in our quiver” to push back against a Senate nomination process.
However, there’s no real traction or appetite on Capitol Hill to kick-start another impeachment fight this close to the election.
Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries of New York downplayed that option on Tuesday.
“At the current moment, we’re looking forward toward the election. Health care is on the ballot. Civil rights is on the ballot. Decency is on the ballot. Unity is on the ballot. And the American people will ultimately make the decision as to whether Trump and his corrupt administration should be held accountable,” Mr. Jeffries told reporters.
“But I don’t think we’re contemplating anything other than to say … that all options are on the table,” he said.
Mr. McCarthy, however, is facing pressure from the right-wing of his own party to try and oust Mrs. Pelosi with a rarely used procedural tool called a “motion to vacate the chair.”
Rep. Andy Biggs, head of the House Freedom Caucus, penned a Fox News op-ed championing the drastic measure, citing the impeachment push and the recent viral controversy surrounding Mrs. Pelosi’s trip to a San Francisco hair salon in violation of city health policies among the reasons to remove her.
“Isn’t it past time for Rep. Nancy Pelosi to leave her office as Speaker of the House?” the Arizona Republican tweeted. “I call upon our leaders in Congress to put forward the Motion to Vacate the Chair that has been prepared and merely needs to be brought to the floor.”
Mr. McCarthy actively pushed back on using a motion to vacate last week at his press conference, saying it risked putting other Democrats in a position of power and that they should focus their efforts on retaking the House in November.
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
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