House moving toward showdown

Associated Press

WASHINGTON

The House is moving toward a showdown vote this month over whether to impeach IRS chief John Koskinen. But with no chance the Senate would actually remove him from office, Republicans stood divided over the effort’s wisdom in the shadow of this fall’s presidential and congressional elections.

With GOP leaders eager to send lawmakers home to defend their seats by September’s end, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Wednesday he hoped to reach compromise with the White House and Senate Democrats over legislation temporarily financing the government until Dec. 9 and combatting the Zika virus.

Agreements would avert the possibility of an Oct. 1 government shutdown certain to annoy voters, and address a disease whose initial spread in South Florida has become a political issue in that election battleground state.

Until now, both efforts – including $1.1 billion for Zika – have been bogged down by partisan Senate fights. Democrats want GOP-sought defense increases to be matched with domestic-program boosts and have opposed Republican language blocking Zika prevention and treatment money for Planned Parenthood clinics in Puerto Rico.

Vice President Joe Biden planned to join Democrats at a news conference today to pressure Republicans to also address issues such as the burden of student loans and President Barack Obama’s March nomination of Merrick Garland to fill the Supreme Court vacancy. But it was clear Congress will focus on must-pass issues before leaving for the campaign’s final stretch.

Republicans said House GOP lawmakers will meet next Thursday to discuss what to do about conservatives’ impeachment demands. Conservatives say Koskinen impeded a congressional investigation of how the IRS improperly treated tea party groups seeking tax exemptions.

Conservatives seeking his impeachment are using a procedure that would let them force a vote, but some said they’d wait until after next week’s meeting to do so.