GOP finds yet another Cabinet secretary it’s eager to impeach

By Steve Benen

As of today, congressional Republicans have filed six separate impeachment resolutions targeting President Joe Biden, and given the recent pattern, no one would be especially surprised if a seventh soon follows. For some in the House GOP, this has become something of a hobby.

But Republicans aren’t just focusing their impeachment energies on the man in the Oval Office; the party is also going after several members of his Cabinet. The Hill reported:

Far-right lawmaker Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) introduced articles of impeachment Friday against Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, accusing the Pentagon chief of ignoring key intelligence and pushing through a chaotic 2021 retreat from Afghanistan that resulted in the deaths of 13 American service members. Mills formally introduced the resolution to impeach Austin just one day ahead of the two-year anniversary of the deaths of the service members.

The far-right Floridian’s measure has already picked up three co-sponsors.

It’s unlikely that the Pentagon chief is worried about this baseless and partisan endeavor, which will probably go ignored on Capitol Hill. But White House Communications Director Ben LaBolt recently noted that it’s become difficult to “keep track of who MAGA Republicans say they’re going to impeach at this point.”

That’s true, though I think I can help — because I have been keeping track. Let’s take a look at the big list:

President Joe Biden: There is absolutely no evidence uncovered by Republicans that the incumbent Democrat has actually committed any high crimes, but as of this morning, there are literally six different impeachment resolutions pending in the House targeting the sitting president.

Attorney General Merrick Garland: Several GOP lawmakers, including House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, have raised the prospect of impeaching the nation’s chief law enforcement official. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene introduced a pending impeachment resolution against Garland a while ago, as did Rep. Scott Perry, who also unveiled a similar resolution.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas: There are currently two impeachment resolutions targeting the DHS secretary, and the Cabinet agency recently hired outside counsel to prepare for potential impeachment proceedings.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken: For reasons that remain fuzzy, Republican Rep. Ralph Norman introduced an impeachment resolution last summer targeting the nation’s chief diplomat. Rep. Dave Schweikert also raised the specter of impeaching Blinken.

Vice President Kamala Harris: Believe it or not, Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert introduced an impeachment resolution targeting Harris — I can’t begin to understand why — and it picked up two co-sponsors. GOP Rep. Andy Olges introduced a separate measure of his own targeting the California Democrat.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg: A handful of congressional Republicans have endorsed impeaching Buttigieg, though formal resolutions have not yet been introduced.

Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona: Though this effort apparently hasn’t moved beyond the discussion phase, Cardona is now apparently in the mix. The New York Times reported last fall that “some” GOP lawmakers would like to impeach the education secretary.

FBI Director Chris Wray: Schweikert also made behind-the-scenes comments suggesting the FBI director handpicked by Donald Trump might face some kind of impeachment threat, and soon after, Greene introduced an impeachment resolution targeting Wray, which has picked up a half-dozen GOP co-sponsors.

Matthew Graves, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia: Greene, apparently upset about criminal cases against accused Jan. 6 defendants, has also introduced an impeachment resolution going after the federal prosecutor. (It has four Republican co-sponsors.)

Austin, in other words, has plenty of company.

Taken together, the impeachment list now includes the sitting president, sitting vice president, six Cabinet secretaries, the director of the FBI, and a largely unknown federal prosecutor.

The only time in American history that a Cabinet secretary was impeached was in 1876, when the House impeached Secretary of War William Belknap — after he left office — over alleged bribes. (He was later acquitted by senators.) Will this be the Congress that adds to the list? Watch this space.

This post updates our related earlier coverage.

Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MSNBC political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "The Impostors: How Republicans Quit Governing and Seized American Politics."