McCarthy seeking 'pound of flesh' with 'fact-free' Biden impeachment inquiry: House Democrat

United States Representative Gerry Connolly (D-Virginia) told MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace on Tuesday's episode of Deadline: White House that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's (R-California) call for an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden is a "low moment" for Congress.

McCarthy earlier in the day embraced calls from lawmakers loyal to criminally indicted and twice-impeached former President Donald Trump to target supposed bribery by Biden, despite there being no proof of illegal conduct by the incumbent.

NBC News Capitol Hill correspondent Garrett Haake noted that "announcing an impeachment inquiry without holding a vote to authorize it is the Congressional equivalent of Michael Scott 'declaring' bankruptcy. Committees don't get extra investigatory powers because the speaker says so. 2019 McCarthy thought so too."

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Connolly similarly observed that McCarthy is playing political games instead of being a leader.

For McCarthy to "continue to pander to the far right in his caucus, is, is a very dangerous game as we have already seen, and they're never going to be satisfied. You know, there's always going to be another pound of flesh they want to exact," Connolly said.

"This is evidence free, fact-free. It's entirely made up out of whole cloth, essentially avoiding a floor vote that he promised just ten days ago," Connolly continued. "He has instructed two committees to 'find something.' So it's not like we've got a case already in front of us and we need to make something with that case, as we did with Trump. We don't have any case. So he's essentially telling them, 'Find something.' And it's just a real low moment for the House of Representatives and I think a very low moment for Kevin McCarthy."

Watch the clip below or at this link.

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