With the House prepared to formally launch its impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, Republican senators are suggesting it’ll face a chilly reception in their chamber if it gets that far.
Even as they vow to keep an open mind if new, compelling evidence comes forward, GOP senators fear the move will only take away energy from other priorities and exacerbate already high partisan tensions on Capitol Hill.
“I think they're a long way from coming to a conclusion there,” said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of Republican leadership. “I don't see the grounds for this yet.”
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), one of the most moderate Senate Republicans who voted to convict former President Donald Trump in his second impeachment trial, questioned whether impeachment was becoming an overused tool.
“You're not going to have this president impeached based on the evidence that we've seen come to light,” she told POLITICO in an interview. “Impeachment used to be taken pretty seriously. It should be taken pretty seriously. It's like the biggest consequence possible for a sitting president.”
However, Murkowski was quick to add: “Will it drag down the president as he goes into an election year? I don't think that that's good for any sitting president.”
The House investigation has yet to find any direct evidence that Biden exerted improper influence to help his family members’ businesses.
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who twice voted to convict Trump during his two impeachment trials, said: “There may be of course evidence — I don't know — but there's been no evidence provided to the public yet or certainly to me to suggest an impeachment inquiry or impeachment itself is justified.”
Added Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who voted to convict Trump in his second trial: “I'm focused on if there's any hope in getting the [national security] supplemental through.”
House leaders are prepared to vote this week before breaking for the holidays to formally authorize an impeachment inquiry, and they're expressing confidence in the vote count after steadily convincing GOP House members in seats carried by Biden to back the move. Still, the vibes in the Senate appear largely unchanged from the collective shrug many expressed when then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy first dangled the prospect several months ago.
Other GOP lawmakers expressed openness to formalizing the inquiry if its true intent is to gain information the House believes the White House has withheld from it.
“If it's being done for the purpose of investigation and congressional oversight, and they won't get the information they've asked for? I think it's the right thing to do,” said Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who himself has been involved in probes of Biden and his family. "But I want to make sure that that goes with the word inquiry and not with the word impeachment.”
Many senators declined to comment on the actual substance of the allegations against Biden, saying they’d yet to review the evidence that’s been revealed and the fact they could be jurors if articles eventually do reach the Senate.
Republican senators urged their House counterparts to ensure they have the strongest argument ready before they advance their inquiry.
“They should be able to make a strong case before they actually do an impeachment inquiry,” said Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.). “Otherwise, what they can do is be seen as crying wolf, and that would hinder future abilities to actually get the job done.”