Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell warned House Democrats during a Wednesday press conference to think long and hard before implementing a strategy of “presidential harassment.”
WATCH:
In the weeks leading up to Tuesday’s midterm elections, a number of Democrats threatened to open investigations into or file articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump and Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. And after gaining control of the House on Tuesday, it became possible for them to act on those threats.
McConnell, responding to a question regarding a call for the president’s tax returns, warned that such a move might not be a winning strategy. (RELATED: Kellyanne Conway Says Nancy Pelosi Didn’t Mention Investigations And Subpoenas In Election Night Call With Trump)
“Well, you know, the whole issue of presidential harassment is interesting,” McConnell began. “I remember when we tried it in the late 90s. We impeached President Clinton, his numbers went up and ours went down. We underperformed in the next election.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell: “The Democrats in the House will have to decide just how much presidential harassment they think is good strategy. I’m not so sure it will work for them.” https://t.co/QF15MHa8Bu pic.twitter.com/qvuHZndIrG
— ABC News (@ABC) November 7, 2018
This is not the first time McConnell has warned Democrats about a possibly flawed strategy, either. When then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid invoked the nuclear option for judicial nominees, McConnell warned him that he would likely come to regret that decision.
McConnell warns: You’ll regret this. And you might regret this a lot sooner than you think. #fnr
— Jared Halpern (@JaredHalpern) November 21, 2013
“So the Democrats in the House will have to decide just how much presidential harassment they think is good strategy,” McConnell concluded. “I’m not so sure it will work for them.”