Obama Immigration Action Update: Impeachment 'Would Be A Consideration' If President Announces Reform Executive Action, Says Congressman
With President Barack Obama's immigration reform executive action looming, one Republican congressman publicly stated impeachment would be considered if the president fulfills his unilateral action promise.
During an interview on NewsMaxTV's "America's Forum," Republican Rep. Joe Barton of Texas, a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, was asked if impeachment of Obama would be "on the table" if he issues an executive action on immigration.
"Well impeachment is indicting in the House and that's a possibility, but you still have to convict in the Senate and that takes a two-thirds vote. But impeachment would be a consideration, yes sir," said Barton.
Barton's comment reportedly made him the first Republican to tease impeachment against Obama since the midterm elections.
The GOP has been quiet on issuing a statement about impeaching the president. Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, said there are "no plans to impeach" Obama.
"We have no future plans," said Boehner in a statement in June about impeachment. "Listen, it's all a scam started by Democrats at the White House."
"Listen, this whole talk about impeachment is coming from the president's own staff, and coming from Democrats on Capitol Hill. Why? Because they're trying to rally their people to give money and to show up in this year's election," Boehner said.
Although Obama has not specifically confirmed the date of issuing an executive action on immigration, he has set a time frame of after midterm Election Day and the end of the year. Despite the Republican Party gaining eight U.S. Senate seats and winning the majority in Congress, Obama reiterated his intention to act on the executive action since Congress still did not pass a bill for him to sign.
"I think it's fair to say that I've shown a lot of patience and have tried to work on a bipartisan basis as much as possible, and I'm going to keep on doing so," Obama said during a press conference after Election Day. "But in the meantime, let's figure out what we can do lawfully through executive actions to improve the functioning of the existing system."
Boehner said Obama is "going to burn himself" if he delivers on the executive action.
"Finding common ground is going to be hard work -- but it will be even harder if the president isn't willing to work with us," Boehner added.
The U.S. Senate passed bipartisan immigration legislation in June 2013, but the House of Representatives has not picked up the bill for a debate and vote. Boehner did not specify on how the House will handle immigration reform.
Rep. Barton's Comment at 4:30:
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