Efforts within the House GOP to impeach President Joe Biden over his decision to withhold arms shipments to Israel seem to have hit a roadblock. The initiative, spearheaded by Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL), gained traction earlier this month when Mills submitted an article of impeachment against President Biden, accusing him of soliciting a “quid pro quo” with Israel.
Joe Biden has failed to support Israel.
Biden is withholding aid and munitions during this critical time in the war against Hamas. He has chosen to bend to will of the pro-Palestine movement to secure his vote.
Every Jewish person should remember that a vote for Joe Biden in… pic.twitter.com/FvVGAud4Lk
— Sabrina Smolders 🦋🌹 (@SabrinaSmolders) May 8, 2024
The article of impeachment alleged that Biden had exerted pressure on Israel by withholding precision-guided weapons shipments, with the intention of extracting military policy changes. Despite initial momentum, the resolution has only garnered five co-sponsors since its introduction. Mills intends to discuss potential revisions with House Speaker Mike Johnson, yet Johnson has not signaled support for the impeachment articles.
While Biden’s actions drew criticism from both Republicans and Democrats, several House Republicans argued that they did not warrant impeachment. Some suggested that the GOP should prioritize ongoing impeachment inquiries into Biden’s family business dealings.
Mills based his impeachment effort on the Impoundment Control Act, the same law Democrats accused former President Donald Trump of violating during his 2019 impeachment. The Act, passed in 1974, limits a president’s authority to block funding approved by Congress. Mills accused Biden of violating this law by threatening to withhold weapons approved by Congress unless certain conditions were met.
This was objectively less problematic than Biden’s decision to withhold aid from Israel, as it is highly likely that Biden’s efforts are part of a desperate attempt to win back the pro-Palestine activists within his party amid his reelection efforts, while Trump’s decision to withhold aid from Ukraine was in response to alleged corruption in the country, which was shown in a clip of then-Vice President Biden where he was heard bragging about withholding aid from Ukraine until they fired a prosecutor who was investigating the business his son was working at.
🚨 Biden is holding up aid for Israel to appease his radical anti-Semitic base.
Let's be clear: He can't keep claiming he stands with Israel while he's doing that at the same time.
He wants it both ways. But you can't play both sides when one side is Hamas. pic.twitter.com/ELnGHbOr3h
— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) May 7, 2024
Many have criticized the GOP for repeatedly trying to take the high road during their weak efforts to investigate Biden and other Democrats. While the Democrats have repeatedly weaponized the system against their opponents, Republicans have refused to even use their power to target legitimate crimes committed by their opponents — effectively handicapping themselves in a desperate attempt to display moral superiority.
Despite parallels drawn between Biden’s actions and those that led to Trump’s impeachment, the White House and Democrats contend that Biden’s decision was a legitimate exercise of his authority as commander-in-chief.
In response to criticism, Mills emphasized the need to hold all leaders accountable, irrespective of political affiliation. He pointed out the challenge of maintaining the moral high ground while addressing perceived improprieties within the political landscape.
While the impeachment effort has encountered obstacles, discussions surrounding Biden’s actions and the implications for congressional oversight continue to fuel debate within political circles.
