Bret Baier Confronts Mike Johnson With 2019 Clip Where He Says Congress Should ‘Exercise Greater Restraint’ on Impeachment

Fox News anchor Bret Baier brought a receipt to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) during Tuesday’s Special Report during a discussion about a potential impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.

Johnson backs an impeachment inquiry, which Republicans is say necessary to investigate whether Biden reaped ill-gotten benefits from his son Hunter Biden’s business dealings. They have yet to provide any proof after nearly a year of depositions, hearings, and appearances on right-wing media. A vote on whether to authorize the inquiry will be held on Wednesday.

“There’s some concern in the caucus that the push for impeachment is losing some steam,” Baier said.

“Tomorrow, we’ll be voting on the inquiry,” Johnson replied. “Why are we doing that? ‘Cause it’s the next necessary step. The White House has stonewalled this investigation. It’s gone methodically, carefully, as the Constitution requires of us. It’s a very serious matter. But right now, they’re not turning over documents. They’re not turning over key witnesses, and we will have to defend our subpoenas in court. So, to do that, you need an impeachment inquiry vote from the full House.”

Baier then reached into the archives for a four-year-old clip of Johnson ripping House Democrats for moving forward with impeachment proceedings against then-President Donald Trump – without Republican support. The House impeached him after he made aid to Ukraine contingent on its government investigating Hunter Biden’s business ventures in the country, including possible ties to Joe Biden – his future political opponent.

“Exactly four years ago, this is Representative Mike Johnson,” Baier said to tee up the clip of Johnson stating:

The Founders of this country warned against single-party impeachment for good reason. They feared it would bitterly and irreparably divide our nation…

As the next election in 2020 is drawing so close now, and their candidates for president are so terribly weak, they obviously met somewhere at liberal high command about 75 days ago and convinced Nancy Pelosi, they had to pull the trigger…

I hope and pray future Congresses can and will exercise greater restraint.

“So, the moderates in your caucus would say, ‘Why not exercise greater restraint now?'” Baier said.

“Well, we’ve shown great restraint,” the speaker stated. “I mean, there are a lot of people who are frustrated this hasn’t moved faster. But there’s a big distinction. I stand by every word I said in that video. There’s a big distinction between what’s happening now and what the Democrats do. Those were rushed, sham impeachments.”

Watch above via Fox News.