California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom took a swipe at House Speaker Kevin McCarthy‘s pursuit of impeaching President Joe Biden, accusing him of neglecting pressing issues in his own district.
What Happened: Newsom on Tuesday dismissed the impeachment endeavor as “student government” during Politico‘s “Golden State of California” event in Sacramento.
He painted a picture of McCarthy as a mere puppet of ex-President Donald Trump and his right-wing caucus, stating, “My Kevin will do what he needs to do — or what he's told to do.”
The governor shifted the conversation towards McCarthy’s Bakersfield district, which he called the “murder capital of California.” He pointed out that the district’s murder rate is two and a half times that of Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco and underscored the significant count of uninsured individuals and children living in poverty.
"There was emphasis on that intention just 11 days ago," Newsom said.
"Give me a break," he added.
Newsom blamed McCarthy for ignoring these concerns while obsessing over investigating Biden and his son, Hunter. He also ridiculed the House Speaker for reneging on his pledge to seek a floor vote to commence the impeachment inquiries, opting to make the call alone instead.
Why It Matters: The impeachment inquiry against President Biden, driven by unverified claims that Biden financially benefited from his son’s overseas business activities, has been a contentious issue. McCarthy’s decision to initiate the inquiry came under the pressure of conservative hardliners threatening to oust him from his Speaker position.
Despite initiating the impeachment inquiry, McCarthy’s leadership position is still under threat from his own party’s far-right faction, demanding “total compliance.” His decision allowed him to avoid nearly 20 House Republicans who opposed the action, thereby circumventing a potential unsuccessful floor vote.
Photo courtesy Sheila Fitzgerald on Shutterstock.com
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