SENATOR, ONE OF THE LAWMAKERS
ADDING FUEL TO THE FIRE ON
CAPITOL HILL AND WHY HE IS
HOLDING UP HUNDREDS OF MILITARY
PROMOTIONS, DESPITE BACKLASH
FROM THE PENTAGON AND HIS OWN
PARTY.
>> AN NBC NEWS EXCLUSIVE, THE
WHITE HOUSE RESPONSE.
THE PRESIDENT OF IRAN TELLS NBC
THAT HIS COUNTRY WILL SPEND
BILLIONS, TIED TO A POTENTIAL PRISONER EXCHANGE WITH THE U.S.
PRISONER EXCHANGE WITH THE U.S. HOWEVER, -- ♪ ♪ HELLO, AND
HOWEVER, -- ♪ ♪ HELLO, AND
WELCOME TO MEET THE PRESS NOW.
I'M REPORTING IN WASHINGTON
WHERE WE ARE OFFICIALLY
ENTERING A BRUTAL STRETCH OF
POLITICAL WARFARE.
AFTER THIS MORNING, HOUSE
SPEAKER KEVIN McCARTHY FACING
INTENSIFYING PRESSURE FROM
FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP AND
THREATS FROM HIS FAR RIGHT FLANK
, FORMALLY ENDORSED AN
IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY INTO
PRESIDENT BIDEN.
>>> TODAY, I AM IRECTING OUR
HOUSE COMMITTEE TO OPEN A
FORMAL IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY INTO
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN.
THE LOGICAL NEXT THAT WILL GIVE
OUR COMMITTEE THE FULL POWER TO
GATHER ALL THE FACTS AND
ANSWERS FOR THE AMERICAN PUBLIC.
THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT TO
KNOW.
ANSWERS.
I BELIEVE THE PRESIDENT WOULD
WANT TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS,
AS WELL.
>> THE DECISION TO UNILATERALLY
OPEN AN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY
COMES LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AFTER
HE EXPLICITLY SAID HE WOULDN'T.
HE SAID THIS ON THE RECORD.
TO OPEN AN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY
IS A SERIOUS MATTER.
HOUSE REPUBLICANS WOULD NOT
TAKE IT LIGHTLY OR USE IT FOR
POLITICAL PURPOSES.
IF WE MOVE FORWARD, IT WOULD
OCCUR THROUGH A VOTE ON THE
FLOOR OF THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE,
AND NOT THROUGH A DECLARATION
BY ONE PERSON.
AS WE NOTED ON THE SHOW
YESTERDAY, A NUMBER OF HOUSE
REPUBLICANS HAVE PRIVATELY AND
PUBLICLY WARNED AGAINST
IMPEACHMENT, IN PART DUE TO THE
POLITICAL RISK, AND THE CURRENT
LACK OF EVIDENCE.
WE ALSO NOTED YESTERDAY -- AND
HAD BEEN HUDDLING TO PLAN THEIR
DEFENSE OF THE PRESIDENT.
THE REACTION ON CAPITOL HILL
CAME QUICKLY TODAY.
AND FROM ALL SIDES WITH
CONFIRMATION FROM DEMOCRATS AND
MIXED REACTION FROM SOME
REPUBLICANS.
>> I THINK IT IS ABSURD.
NOW WE HAVE A GROUP OF
REPUBLICANS THAT WANT TO GO
THROUGH THE ABSURDITY OF
IMPEACHING THE PRESIDENT WE
HAVE SO MANY OTHER THINGS TO
GET DONE.
>> I DON'T THINK SPEAKER
McCARTHY NEEDS TO BE ADVISED
FROM THE SENATE ON HOW TO RUN
THE HOUSE.
>> I ASSUMED THAT THE HOUSE
INVESTIGATIONS HAVE BEEN SO
THOROUGH.
THEY'VE HAD SUPPORT FOR THIS.
THIS IS NOT IN WHAT ANYWAY A
KNEE-JERK DECISION.
>> THAT IS WISE THAT IS
IMPORTANT TO GET THE PROCESS
RIGHT.
IT IS BECOMING MORE OF A VOTE
WITH NO CONFIDENCE.
>> I THINK THEY ARE DEMANDING
THERE IS AN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY.
INQUIRY.
THERE MAY BE A FIRE THERE.
>> THEY SEEM TO GET LOWER AND
LOWER EVERY WEEK.
>> I WILL GET A BRIEFING LATER
IN THE WEEK ON WHAT EVIDENCE
LINKS AT THE TIME VICE
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN TO HIS
DUTIES.
THAT LINK YET.
I AM RELUCTANT TO TO AGREE WITH
HIM.
>> I THINK IT IS LONG OVERDUE
PERSONALLY.
I THINK ANY OTHER CITIZENS THAT
HAS IT STACKED UP AGAINST HIM
WOULD ALREADY BE IN COURT.
>> THE SPOKESPERSON CALLED
McCARTHY'S MOVE EXTREME
POLITICS AT ITS WORST, AND THAT
IT WAS RED MEAT FOR THE EXTREME
RIGHT WING.
McCARTHY IS ABOUT TO DIVE