On Thursday (January 12), House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA.) revealed he was considering expunging one or both of former President Donald Trump’s impeachments.
McCarthy addressed the possibility during a press conference where a reporter raised the question. The House Speaker explained he “understands” why GOP Representatives may want to pursue the expunging of Trump’s impeachments in response to a question about the possibility.
However, the California Republican quickly listed the House’s priorities before reiterating that he “understands” why his GOP colleagues would want to expunge Trump’s impeachments.
In the last Democrat-led Congress, thirty Republicans — led by Rep. Markwayne Mullin (Okla.) — proposed that Trump’s impeachment relating to his actions on January 6, 2021, the day of the Capitol attack, be expunged.
The fourth-ranking Republican in the lower chamber — Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (N.Y.) — supported the effort.
Mullin also led a smaller group of Republicans who brought forward a resolution to expunge the 2019 impeachment attempt on former President Donald Trump.
Trump’s 2019 impeachment revolved around an alleged attempt by Trump to withhold military aid from Ukraine if the nation’s leaders refused to launch investigations into President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden.
Despite Trump being acquitted in both impeachment attempts, Republicans have circled back to wiping it from the records, especially given their newly-acquired majority in the House.
But McCarthy has never supported any efforts to have Trump’s impeachments expunged. The House Speaker also didn’t promise he’d pursue expunging the impeachments; instead, he only indicated he would “look into” the idea.
