Matt Gaetz: ‘We don’t have the votes to impeach anybody in the House’

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., made clear that impeaching President Biden is not in the cards right now because Republicans don’t have the votes. Gaetz’s comments largely squash questions and speculation that began Monday night, July 24, after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said the information Republicans have collected about the Biden family’s business dealings is “rising to the level of impeachment inquiry.” 

“Here’s the truth of the matter. Right now, even with these revelations, we don’t have the votes to impeach anybody in the House of Representatives,” Rep. Gaetz told reporters. “So I’m not going to go and try to gaslight the American public and try to gin them up that there’s like definitely some impeachment inquiry coming.” 

McCarthy walked back the comment on Tuesday, July 25, when he tweeted, “If evidence continues to rise to the level of an impeachment inquiry, House Republicans will act.” 

Our investigations are revealing more info every day about the Biden family's shell companies and the sweetheart deal from the DOJ. The American public has a right to the truth.

If evidence continues to rise to the level of an impeachment inquiry, House Republicans will act.

— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) July 25, 2023

Gaetz, a conservative member of the Judiciary Committee, said he’s disappointed they don’t have enough support. Gaetz has been calling an impeachment inquiry into President Biden a top priority since at least September 2022. 

“I hope that Speaker McCarthy is acquiring the political coalition necessary to hold the Bidens accountable,” Gaetz said Wednesday, July 27. 

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., accused former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., of politicizing Donald Trump’s impeachments and said she doesn’t want Republicans to make the same mistake. 

“We should never have an impeachment without having due process, without having an investigation, without it going through the way that it’s supposed to through committee, judiciary, etc.,” Mace said. “It shouldn’t be impeachment and then go look for the evidence.”

“Their eagerness to go after @POTUS regardless of the truth is seemingly bottomless,” Ian Sams, a White House spokesperson, tweeted.

Instead of focusing on the real issues Americans want us to address like continuing to lower inflation or create jobs, this is what the @HouseGOP wants to prioritize.

Their eagerness to go after @POTUS regardless of the truth is seemingly bottomless. https://t.co/fwX2yKleMF

— Ian Sams (@IanSams46) July 25, 2023

“Impeachment should be for high crimes and misdemeanors. Not for policy disagreements or personal animosity,”  Rep. Jamie Raskin D-Md., said. 

Raskin was the lead impeachment manager arguing against Donald Trump in 2021. He’s now the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee which is looking into the Bidens’ business dealings.