2023: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted To Impeach President Joe Biden For
High Crimes And Misdemeanors. In June 2023, according to Congressional
Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted for the "adoption of the rule (H Res 529)
that would re-refer the resolution (H Res 503) impeaching President Joe
Biden for high crimes and misdemeanors to the House Judiciary and
Homeland Security Committees." The vote was on the adoption of the rule.
The House adopted the rule by a vote of 219 to 208, thus the resolution
was sent to the House Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees.
[House Vote 285,
6/22/23; Congressional
Quarterly, 6/22/23;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
529;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
503]
With The Adoption Of The Rule, The Impeachment Resolution Was Sent
To The Judiciary And Homeland Security Committees For Leaders To
Decide The Fate Of The Resolution. According to Congressional
Quarterly, "In a quick meeting Wednesday night, the House Rules
Committee approved, 9-3, a rule that would send a resolution seeking
to impeach President Joe Biden to the House Judiciary and Homeland
Security committees. If the rule (H Res 529) is adopted on the House
floor, the impeachment legislation will head back to the committees
for its leaders to decide its fate." [Congressional Quarterly,
6/21/23]
The Resolution Sought To Impeach President Biden For Alleged
Abuses Of Power In Relation To Immigration Policies At The
U.S.-Mexico Border. According to Congressional Quarterly, "The
resolution (H Res 503), authored by Colorado Republican Lauren
Boebert, would seek to impeach Biden for 'high crimes and
misdemeanors' as he 'abused the powers of the office' with his
policies on immigration at the southern border." [Congressional
Quarterly,
6/21/23]
The Adoption Of The Rule Effectively Paused The Possibility To
Bring A Privileged Motion To The Floor That Would Have Forced The
Chamber To Directly Vote On Whether To Impeach President Biden.
According to CNN, "The House voted Thursday to pass a rule sending a
resolution offered by Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado to
committee, effectively pausing a move to bring a privileged motion
to the floor that would have forced members to vote on whether to
impeach President Joe Biden." [CNN,
6/22/23]
The Resolution Divided House Republicans, With Several Members
Expressing Concerns With The Push To Force A Vote On The
Controversial Issue, And Speaker McCarthy Encouraged His GOP
Conference To Oppose The Resolution. According to CNN, "Boebert's
resolution had divided House Republicans, with many members
expressing frustration with the conservative congresswoman's push to
force a vote on the politically contentious issue. Speaker Kevin
McCarthy urged his GOP conference to vote against the resolution."
[CNN,
6/22/23]
Speaker McCarthy Argued The GOP Should Let Committee
Investigations Take Course And Warned That Jumping To Impeachment
Could Risk The GOP's Slim Majority. According to CNN, "At a
closed-door meeting on Wednesday, McCarthy argued that Republicans
should let committee investigations play out and warning that
jumping to impeachment now could threaten their slim majority,
multiple sources in the meeting told CNN." [CNN,
6/22/23]
2023: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted To Impeach President Joe Biden For
High Crimes And Misdemeanors. In June 2023, according to Congressional
Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted for the "motion to order the previous
question (thus ending debate and possibility of amendment) on the rule
(H Res 529) that would re-refer the resolution (H Res 503) impeaching
President Joe Biden for high crimes and misdemeanors to the House
Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees." The vote was on a motion to
order the previous question. The House agreed to the motion by a vote of
214 to 206. [House Vote 284,
6/22/23; Congressional
Quarterly, 6/22/23;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
529;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
503]