Hakeem Jeffries says House Republicans are in a ‘civil war’
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Sunday that Republicans are “in the midst of a civil war” as both parties struggle to reach an agreement to avoid a government shutdown when funding runs out at the end of the month.
In one (n interview On ABC News’ “This Week,” Jeffries, D-N.Y., said: “Let’s be clear: House Republicans are in the middle of a civil war.”
“The Republican civil war in the House of Representatives is hurting hardworking American taxpayers and limiting our ability to solve problems on their behalf. It’s unfortunate, but as Democrats in the House of Representatives, we will continue to try to find common ground with the other side of the aisle, to work with Senate Democrats, Senate Republicans and the President [Joe] Biden.”
Jeffries was asked by host Jonathan Karl to comment on House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s decision last week to launch an impeachment inquiry against Biden after he said he would not do so without a full vote of the chamber.
The White House will cooperate with the impeachment inquiry “because there is nothing to hide,” Jeffries said, asserting that House Republicans’ investigation into the Biden family had produced no evidence that the president “committed impeachable offenses.”
“There are no facts to suggest that President Biden broke the law in any way, shape or form. “This is an unlawful impeachment inquiry,” he said. “It’s a product of the Republican civil war in the House.”
He added: “Why in the world do we have to address all the problems we’re trying to solve on behalf of the American people in the midst of all the problems we’re trying to solve?” What House Republicans are bringing into our midst with this illegitimate impeachment inquiry and trying to do the business of the American people. It’s quite unfortunate, it’s wrong, it’s distracting and it should end now.”
Later on “This Week” Rep. Nancy Mace, R.S.C., pushed back against Jeffries by using the term “civil war” to characterize tensions within the GOP.
“Using the word ‘civil’ over and over again in an interview, the phrase ‘civil war’ — if that were a Republican, there would be outrage on the left,” she said. “So I think it’s a little hypocritical that he used that divisive language in his interview.”
Intraparty fighting erupted as McCarthy tried to pass a short-term spending bill while opting to move forward with an impeachment inquiry into Biden. The far-right members of McCarthy’s conference are threatening to oust him as speaker if he does not meet their demands, such as: B. Spending cuts, policy additions to mandatory adoption of government funding laws.
They also said they would refuse to help pass a stopgap bill to buy more time before a month-end deadline and avert a government shutdown.
McCarthy challenged his critics to file a “motion to vacate” the speaker’s chair and attempt to remove him during a closed GOP session in the House of Representatives last week, NBC News previously reported.
At the meeting, McCarthy told House Republicans: “If you’re going to file a motion to resign, file the damn motion,” according to two sources in the room who confirmed the comments to NBC News.
Meanwhile, some politically vulnerable and centrist Republicans have been reluctant to support a formal impeachment inquiry, saying Republicans don’t have enough evidence to take the step.
