GOP Congressman ‘Double Dog Dares’ Democrats to Impeach President Trump

The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on Thursday morning to set rules for an impeachment inquiry against President Trump. This did not sit right with Rep. Tom McClintock.

The California Republican instead claimed the Democrats were making up new rules for impeachment and challenged them to get the full House of Representatives to vote on opening an inquiry:

“Resolve that the House authorizes the Judiciary Committee to conduct an inquiry into the impeachment of the president. It’s that simple. I dare you to do it. In fact, I double dog dare you to do it. Have the house vote on those eighteen words and then go at it. Why won’t you do that?”

He double dog dares them! What’s next, double secret probation if they don’t?

The vote gave the committee’s chairman, Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) the authority to “deem committee hearings as impeachment hearings,” according to CNN. Since the committee is already overseeing a ton of investigative work into the Trump administration — and the Trump administration is giving them a ton of shady behavior that calls for oversight — this would seem to be a prudent step.

But McClintock does have a point that it also looks as if Democrats are stalling on putting the entire question of impeachment before the House. Impeachment polls poorly among the general public, and only a little more than half of the Democratic caucus has announced support for it. So now the Judiciary Committee can have an impeachment inquiry without forcing its wavering members, most of whom come from moderate or even Republican-leaning districts, to have to take a position.

McClintock is well aware of this dynamic:

“You’re duping that portion of your base that is clammoring for impeachment into thinking you are when you aren’t. Some Democrats can tell their constituencies they’re conducting an impeachment inquiry while others can tell their constituencies that they aren’t. You can have your impeachment and deny it too. That’s why you won’t pass this resolution.”

Mercifully, he did not add, “Come on, McFly, what are you? Chicken?”

Watch the video above, via C-SPAN3.