September 13, 2023
U.S. Sen. John Fetterman gave a sarcastic response when asked about House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's decision to open an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.
"Oh my god, really? Oh my gosh, you know, oh, that's devastating," Fetterman said, feigning shock. "Oh, don't do it! Please, don't do it! Oh no, oh no."
A video of Fetterman's response circulated widely on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, after being posted by an NBC News reporter Tuesday afternoon. Fetterman, a Democrat who represents Pennsylvania, later doubled-down on his response, reposting the video to his own account with an added ghost emoji. The video had been viewed more than 4 million times.
On Tuesday evening, Fetterman suggested that House Republicans should take action against child poverty rather than focus on a "bogus impeachment inquiry." New Census data, released Tuesday, indicates that the child poverty rate has more than doubled since 2021 due to the loss of COVID-19 pandemic benefits and millions of families becoming ineligible for the child tax credit.
.@SenFettermanPA reacts to Speaker McCarthy moving forward with a House impeachment inquiry into POTUS…
— Liz Brown-Kaiser (@lizbrownkaiser) September 12, 2023
(Just watch) pic.twitter.com/jg3aeyDW7F
McCarthy has directed the chairmen of the House Judiciary, Oversight and Ways and Means committees to lead the impeachment inquiry due to allegations of "abuse of power, obstruction and corruption" involving Biden's business dealings.
"Over the past several months, House Republicans have uncovered serious and credible allegations into President Biden's conduct," McCarthy told reporters Tuesday. "Taken together, these allegations paint a picture of a culture of corruption."
The committees have been investigating the Biden family for months, but have yet to come forward with direct allegations against the president. Republican lawmakers claim that Hunter Biden profited from business dealings with foreign entities by arranging access to Biden when he was vice president. McCarthy claimed there is evidence that Joe Biden lied about his knowledge of his son's business dealings and may have profited himself.
McCarthy directed the impeachment inquiry without a House vote, and it remains unclear if he has enough support from the Republican-led chamber to continue the proceedings. White House spokesperson Ian Sams called that the impeachment inquiry an example of "extreme politics at its worst."
An impeachment inquiry is the first step of formal impeachment proceedings. After the House concludes its investigations, articles of impeachment must be passed to impeach the president. Once impeached, the Senate holds a trial, with House members serving as prosecutors, to determine whether the president should be removed from office.
Three presidents — Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton and Donald Trump — have been impeached. Trump was impeached twice. None of them have been removed from office.
