House Republicans Divided By Efforts To Expunge Trump’s Impeachments

Republican plans to expunge Donald Trump’s impeachments have sparked tensions among conservative House lawmakers. The far-right efforts are not supported by the entire party and are posing a threat to Speaker Kevin McCarthy as he struggles to gain enough votes to keep the government open.

Removing a presidential impeachment from federal records has never been attempted. The recent string of legal charges against Trump has prompted M.A.G.A. lawmakers to rally around the former president, as many are hoping to see him get reelected in 2024.

Centrist Republicans, however, are opposed to the efforts and do not wish to associate themselves with Trump. Many lawmakers have already vowed to vote against the measure, should it go to the floor. Given the party’s narrow majority, the few GOP defections will all but ensure that the motion is struck down.

Regardless of which position he takes, McCarthy’s vote on the measure will likely result in controversy. After publicly suggesting that Trump may not be the best contender for the Republican presidential nomination, McCarthy quickly apologized to the former president and promised to vote to expunge his impeachments.

However, if and when the GOP bid dies on the floor, McCarthy will have helped prove that Trump’s impeachments were well-deserved and will thus damage his reputation even further.

The expungement debate is only adding to the divide among House Republicans, who have seemingly been at odds with each other for the past couple of months. Far-right lawmakers staged walk-outs in June in protest of McCarthy’s debt ceiling deal and government spending measures, and the Freedom Caucus voted last month to remove Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Florida) due to conflicting alliances and ideas.

The ongoing GOP quarrels have many party members worried about how Republicans will fare in the upcoming election cycle.