House Republicans, led by Rep. Matt Rosendale, are poised to initiate a potential third round of impeachment proceedings against prominent figures in the Biden Administration. On Monday, Rosendale’s office disclosed plans to introduce articles of impeachment alleging “high crimes and misdemeanors” against Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during the upcoming Tuesday session.
Rosendale asserted that Austin, through repeated violations of his oath of office, has endangered American lives and compromised national security. The representative pointed to the Chinese spy balloon incident from last year, contending that recent revelations indicate Austin misled the public about it on multiple occasions.
He said this “dishonesty seems to be a repeated pattern” with last Friday’s revelation that the Department of Defense waited days to disclose that Austin had been hospitalized for “complications following a recent elective medical procedure” that has yet to be disclosed.
“Furthermore, the Secretary failed to uphold his oath of office during the Biden Administration’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan which led to the death of 13 American soldiers and enabled unvetted migrants to flow into the United States,” Rosendale said before referencing a rape case involving an Afghan in Missoula.
Concluding his statement, Rosendale asserted that Austin is unsuitable for the role of Secretary of Defense, urging fellow lawmakers to unite in impeaching him for the sake of protecting the American people.
Amidst calls for Defense Secretary Austin’s resignation or termination, some GOP members and former President Donald Trump have voiced concerns about his undisclosed hospitalization. In contrast, both Democrats and certain Republicans advocate for increased transparency. Austin addressed the situation in a weekend statement, expressing his recovery and assuming full responsibility for decisions related to disclosure.
On Monday, White House officials informed the press that President Joe Biden maintains confidence in Secretary Austin and anticipates his return to the Pentagon.
In addition to a corruption-focused impeachment inquiry against Biden led by the GOP-controlled House, a committee is gearing up for impeachment proceedings against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas concerning border security management. The outcome of these initiatives and the likelihood of successful impeachment votes remain uncertain.
