Ken Buck slams McCarthy for floating possible Biden impeachment inquiry ‘shiny object’

Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) claimed House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) comments on a possible impeachment of President Joe Biden were a “shiny object” meant to distract from bigger issues like the debt ceiling.

Buck said he supports an investigation into the president but said calls for impeachment were “impeachment theater.”

HUNTER BIDEN PLEA: PRESIDENT’S SON PLEADS ‘NOT GUILTY’ AFTER JUDGE BLOWS UP PLEA AGREEMENT

“What he’s doing is saying there’s a shiny object over there, and we’re going to focus on that. We just need to get all these things done so we can focus on the shiny object,” Buck told CNN on Wednesday. “This is impeachment theater. I don’t think it’s responsible for us to talk about impeachment. When you start raising the ‘I-word,’ it starts sending a message to the public, and it sets expectations.”

Buck’s comments come after McCarthy said possible misconduct by the president had “risen to the level of an impeachment inquiry.” An inquiry is among the first steps to bringing articles of impeachment forward.

It also comes as the House speaker faces pressure from his own party to renege on a deal he made with Biden earlier this year, which raised the debt ceiling.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

“We right now are starting the appropriations process, and there is no consensus on what the [budget] number should be,” Buck said. “Kevin McCarthy promised when he was running for speaker one set of numbers, and then he made an agreement with President Biden for the debt ceiling increase on another set of numbers. The party itself is not in agreement, and we’re going to have some real trouble passing some appropriations bills.”

Both chambers of Congress have until Sept. 30 to reach a deal with the White House on the budget. Failure to do so could result in a government shutdown.