House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has ratcheted up calls for the impeachment of Attorney General Merrick Garland after recent revelations from an IRS whistleblower. Representatives from the Speaker’s office maintain that if confirmed, these reports indicate that Garland has been making false statements to Congress. Last week, an IRS whistleblower named Gary Shapley revealed that AG Garland had contradicted himself in his testimony before Congress.
Garland had said that US Attorney David Weiss of Delaware was given full authority to file charges in any jurisdiction, while Shapley alleged that Weiss was overridden by the DOJ in filing charges against Hunter Biden in California and Washington, D.C.
With his words, McCarthy has made it clear that the House will investigate this matter across the board, and attempt to bring an official impeachment case to light. It has been seen as a sign that the House intends to move forward, if possible, and ascertain Garland’s truthfulness.
While the investigation is ongoing, the nature of the impeachment process can be somewhat murky to those uninitiated. In short, it requires a full inquiry to be conducted, followed by a committee process where evidence can be analyzed, and ultimately leading to a floor vote on the matter.
Some on the right have grown impatient waiting for this to move forward, and have argued that enough evidence is already present to make a decision. However, McCarthy and the House leadership believe the time is needed to do this properly to ensure their decision is sound.
During this critical juncture, Garfield himself has remained tight-lipped, only going so far as to question the veracity of Shapley’s account. Shapley, however, has gone a step further to list the people who were in the room when the incident was alleged to have occurred. When factors like this are taken into consideration, and pairs it with the lack of ambiguity in which he has operated, Shapley is seen by many as being the more truthful party.
At this point, the crucial first steps, such as opening a formal inquiry into the matter, need to take place. As to whether AG Garland will ultimately be removed from office, the likelihood is slim, but that is not the point. If it is confirmed that he has made false statements to Congress, the goal is to make the Biden administration fully accountable and keep voters well informed of who is running our government.
Regardless of the outcome, it’s clear that AG Garland’s days as US Attorney General could be numbered.
We need to get to the facts, and that includes reconciling these clear disparities. U.S. Attorney David Weiss must provide answers to the House Judiciary Committee.
If the whistleblowers’ allegations are true, this will be a significant part of a larger impeachment inquiry into… https://t.co/Q3LLeJhW85
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) June 25, 2023
