'It's a joke': These Republicans fear Biden impeachment will be GOP’s downfall

After toying with possible impeachment for months, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-California) has formally announced that he is pursuing an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden.

Democrats have been quick to slam McCarthy, stressing that House Republican probes of Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, have yet to offer proof that the president did anything illegal or corrupt in Ukraine. But Democrats aren't the only ones speaking out.

A minority of House Republicans, according to the Daily Beast's Sam Brodey, fear that an impeachment inquiry will seriously hurt the GOP in the months ahead.

POLL: Should Trump be allowed to hold office again?

In a report published on September 14, Brodey notes that Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colorado) is being especially outspoken.

Buck described McCarthy's announcement as a "self-inflicted wound" and told the Beast, "How do you go to Democrats and say, 'I need your vote on the (continuing government funding resolution)’ right after I've said, 'I'm going to beat your president?' It's crazy."

The Colorado Republican argued that if Biden were impeached in the House and it went to the U.S. Senate for a trial, "It'd be a joke."

Buck added, "What evidence do you present that there is a connection between Hunter Biden's activities and Joe Biden at this point? It's a joke."

READ MORE:Morning Joe: Kevin McCarthy 'should stop being a coward'

Brodey points out that Rep. French Hill (R-Arkansas) told CBS News that he doesn't think House Republicans have "even remotely completed their work on the kind of detailed investigations and quality work" that would merit an impeachment activity. And Rep. Dave Joyce (R-Ohio) said he is "not seeing facts or evidence at this point."

Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Oklahoma), who chairs the Republican Study Committee, told the Beast, "If there's no there there, then there's no there there."

READ MORE:James Comer's 'exaggerated' Biden corruption allegations have 'shriveled under scrutiny': watchdog

Read the Daily Beast's full report at this link (subscription required).