House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) is facing harsh criticism for saying that he is looking at “expunging” former President Donald Trump’s second impeachment.
Trump, who was impeached by the House in the days immediately after the January 6 attack for inciting an insurrection, narrowly escaped conviction in the Senate as several Republicans there joined with Democrats in support of removal and disqualification.
But McCarthy said he’s considering erasing that charge from the records.
“I would understand why members would want to bring that forward,” said McCarthy, adding that the House would “look at” this idea,” McCarthy told reporters this week.
McCarthy’s remarks prompted a furious backlash, with some legal experts calling his idea “outrageous.”
Noah Bookbinder, president of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) took to Twitter to express his disapproval.
“It is outrageous that Speaker McCarthy would consider expunging Donald Trump’s impeachments,” Bookbinder wrote. “Trump incited a violent insurrection and tried to overturn an election he lost. Congress should have barred him from office. But the Trump wing is now ascendant.”
“More evidence that whole elite GOP donor/strategist ‘it’s time to move past Trump’ consensus after 2022 hasn’t reached the House GOP,” wrote Ron Brownstein, editor for The Atlantic.
“Not sure that’s how it works. There is no precedent for an impeachment being expunged,” Georgia State law professor Anthony Kreis wrote.
Other users were not as polite. Check additional reactions below:
Go for it Kevin. But whatever your price is, historians will mop the floor with you. You are truly a small, pathetic excuse for a leader. @SpeakerMcCarthy You have the moral standing right behind Snidley Whiplash.
— Liz #PERSIST Never trust the GQP! 🇺🇦🌼🙏 (@Kismet61) January 12, 2023
@SpeakerMcCarthy Do you have any balls at all? Any conscience? Any soul? You are such a small, small man.
— Kathleen Boyce (@NurseKathyB) January 12, 2023
Kevin McCarthy —- "I will work hard to "expunge" My cult masters "impeachments".
Everything else that America needs to move on, will have to take second, third, or forth place. pic.twitter.com/RVG8YcTurU
— Taciturn49 – 🇵🇷 ✊ (@rcrespo49) January 13, 2023
Fascist republican LAWBREAKERS are against the United States and its rule of law. Insurrectionist sympathizer Kevin McCarthy is looking for a way to expunge one of his boss trump's impeachments. It's payback for the speakership. pic.twitter.com/YHmr1Klbff
— Empire City Magazine (@EmpireCityMag) January 12, 2023
McCarthy better realize if they "expunge" Trump impeachments they'll be handing the House to Dems on a platter in 2024. Dems would likely expunge Clinton's, which was for lying about a BJ. Neither was convicted so expungement does nothing anyway#GOPclownshttps://t.co/aikWPYSgMk
— The Real Ric Alesch (@ralesch) January 12, 2023
