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U.S. NEWS Monday 28 august 2023

A House impeachment inquiry of President Biden is a 'natural step

forward,' Speaker McCarthy says

By JONATHAN J. COOPER avoid a partial federal clo-
Associated Press sure.
PHOENIX (AP) — Speaker "If we shut down, all the
Kevin McCarthy suggested government shuts it down,
Sunday that an impeach- investigation and every-
ment inquiry of President thing else. It hurts the Amer-
Joe Biden was becoming ican public," McCarthy
more likely, calling it "a nat- said.
ural step forward" as Con- Conservatives, including
gress soon ends its summer many from the House Free-
break and House Republi- dom Caucus, are usually
cans seek to expand their loath to get behind short-
investigative powers. term funding measures
McCarthy, R-Calif., has so as they push for steeper
far avoided committing to spending cuts, using the
an impeachment vote or threat of a shutdown as
offering a timeline for possi- leverage. In June, a small
ble action. Some House Re- group of conservatives
publicans are eager to go brought the House to a
after Biden over claims of fi- standstill to protest McCar-
nancial misconduct involv- thy's leadership.
ing his son Hunter, but the FILE - Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., holds a news conference as the House All sides had agreed to
Democratic president has prepares to leave for its August recess, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, July 27, 2023. budget levels during the re-
not been shown to have McCarthy suggested Sunday, Aug. 27, that an impeachment inquiry of President Joe Biden was cent debt ceiling negotia-
done anything wrong. becoming more likely, calling it “a natural step” as Congress soon ends its summer break and tions when Biden and Mc-
Meanwhile, McCarthy said House Republicans seek to expand their investigative power. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) Carthy struck a deal that
passing a short-term spend- established topline spend-
ing bill to keep the gov- before mandatory spend- An impeachment inquiry, fragile House majority. ing levels. But McCarthy's
ernment running past the ing cuts that neither party he said, "provides Congress Even if Biden were to be im- GOP majority rejects those
end of September would prefers are imposed in the the apex of legal power to peached in the House, he amounts.
ensure that investigations new year. get all the information they is unlikely to be removed A stopgap spending bill
of Hunter Biden could con- "If you look at all the in- need." from office by the Senate, would improve McCarthy's
tinue, a pitch directed at formation we have been McCarthy is walking a tight- which is controlled by Dem- negotiating position with
conservatives worried a able to gather so far, it is a rope as he faces pressure ocrats. the White House and Sen-
bipartisan deal with Sen- natural step forward that from members of his party With the House set to return ate Democrats, the speak-
ate Democrats would not you would have to go to looking to demonstrate to work in mid-September, er said.
cut enough spending. The an impeachment inquiry," support for Donald Trump in the Oct. 1 start of the next "We're in this discussion to-
stopgap measure would McCarthy told Fox News the 2024 presidential cam- budget year is fast ap- gether," he said. "And so
buy time to work out a Channel's "Sunday Morning paign. But the speaker also proaching and a spending we have got to have a
longer-term budget deal Futures." risks imperiling the GOP's deal would be needed to stronger hand."q

Trump campaign reports raising more than $7 million after Georgia booking

By JILL COLVIN raising boon for his cam- Truth Social site and by re-
Associated Press paign, even as his political turning to X, the site former-
NEW YORK (AP) — For for- operation has spent tens ly known as Twitter, for the
mer President Donald of millions on his defense. first time in two-and-a-half
Trump, a picture is worth ... The mounting legal charg- years to share the image
more than $7 million. es have also failed to dent and direct supporters to a
Trump's campaign says Trump's standing in the Re- fundraising page.
he has raised $7.1 million publican presidential pri- Within hours, the campaign
since Thursday when he mary, with the former presi- had also released a new
was booked at the Fulton dent now routinely beating line of merchandise fea-
County Jail in Georgia on his rivals by 30 to 50 points turing the image that be-
charges that he illegally in polls. While Trump de- gan with t-shirts and now
schemed to overturn the scribed his appearance includes beer Koozies,
2020 election in the state Thursday as a "terrible ex- bumper stickers, a signed
and became the first for- perience" and said posing poster, bumper stickers and Former President Donald Trump walks to speak with reporters
mer president in U.S. history for the historic mug shot mug shot mugs. before departure from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
to ever have a mug shot was "not a comfortable Cheung said that contribu- Airport, Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023, in Atlanta.
taken. Spokesman Steven feeling," his campaign im- tions from those who had (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Cheung said that, on Fri- mediately seized on its purchased merchandise or yers as he battles charges indictments were turned
day alone, the campaign fundraising power. donated without prompt- in four separate jurisdic- into a rallying cry that sent
brought in $4.18 million — Before he had even flown ing skyrocketed, especially tions. Recent campaign his fundraising soaring — his
its highest-grossing day to home to New Jersey, his after Trump's tweet. finance filing showed that, political committees have
date. campaign was using it in At the same time, Trump's while Trump raised over paid out at least $59.2 mil-
The record haul under- fundraising pitches to sup- political operation has $53 million during the first lion to more than 100 law-
scores how Trump's legal porters. Trump amplified been burning through tens half of 2023 — a period in yers and law firms since
woes have been a fund- that message both on his of millions of dollars on law- which his first two criminal January 2021.q