House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Monday that a decision by Democrats to hold a vote on the impeachment inquiry against President Trump later this week shows the process was “botched from the start.”
“It’s been 34 days since Nancy Pelosi unilaterally declared her impeachment inquiry,” the California Republican wrote in a tweet. “Today’s backtracking is an admission that this process has been botched from the start.”
Earlier Monday, House Rules Committee chairman Jim McGovern announced the House will vote Thursday to formalize the impeachment process in order to “ensure transparency and provide a clear path forward.”
“This is the right thing to do for the institution and the American people,” McGovern said.
“We are taking this step to eliminate any doubt as to whether the Trump Administration may withhold documents, prevent witness testimony, disregard duly authorized subpoenas, or continue obstructing the House of Representatives,” Pelosi said of the move.
“We will not legitimize the Schiff/Pelosi sham impeachment,” McCarthy vowed, referring to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff.
Other Republicans scoffed as well at House Democrats’ announcement that they will now vote on an impeachment resolution.
Representative Mark Meadows called “rich” the claim that the vote is intended to “ensure transparency.”
“They’ve spent weeks conducting interviews in secret, leaking their own talking points while locking down any and all information that benefits the President,” the North Carolina Republican said.
“The ship has already sailed on having a fair and transparent process,” Representative Jody Hice of Georgia chimed in. “Rep. Adam Schiff poisoned the well on day one. The time for a vote was a MONTH ago! This is like the referee showing up halfway into a football game.”