Maggie Haberman Says ‘No Doubt’ Trump Behind Impeachment Push — And Won’t Be Satisfied With Mere Inquiry
New York Times correspondent and CNN analyst Maggie Haberman told CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins there’s “no doubt” ex-President Donald Trump is behind the push to impeach President Joe Biden — and he won’t be satisfied with just an inquiry.
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy announced Tuesday that he was calling for the launch of an impeachment inquiry without a vote of the full House, in the face of a membership that can’t provide sufficient support to prevail in such a vote. Shortly thereafter, CNN reported that Trump privately coordinated with House GOP members on impeachment strategy.
On Tuesday night’s edition of CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins, Haberman told Collins “there is no doubt that Trump” has been pushing impeachment “behind the scenes” as well as publicly, and went on to say he would not be “content” to stop at an inquiry:
COLLINS: McCarthy went out of his way, today, to say this is only an impeachment inquiry. Obviously, that’s likely to make moderate Republicans feel better about this, who are in districts that President Biden won.
But you know President Trump, as well as I do, former President Trump. An impeachment inquiry is not going to be sufficient, to a former President, who was impeached twice, is it?
HABERMAN: I don’t think so. Although it’s important to remember that he’s also been very focused, on getting his own impeachment record expunged. That’s been something he’s been talking about a lot, too. We will see which one is more important to him.
But I do think, to your point, as we have seen former President Trump face more pressure, from these criminal inquiries, he has ratcheted up the talk, about impeaching Biden. And it will be surprising if he feels content, stopping at, “We’re just asking questions.”
COLLINS: Yes, it seems to be a hope that it would muddy the water here — waters here.
HABERMAN: Right.
COLLINS: We have seen some moderate Republicans say they’re kind of fine with this. They’re surprisingly on board, a few of the moderates, here in New York.
Senate Republicans, though, have been either outright dismissive, or deeply skeptical of this. Senator McConnell? I mean, how do Senate Republicans handle this, do you expect?
HABERMAN: I think it’s a great question. And I think we’re going to see, in the coming days. But you are correct that a lot of them have expressed skepticism, about these efforts, so far, not just on impeachment, generally, but on where this is all heading, in terms of the evidence.
Now, could something happen that changes that? Absolutely. But we’ll see.
COLLINS: Yes.
Watch above via CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins.
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