EXCLUSIVE: ‘Clear Violation’ — Top Congressional Republicans Discuss Plans To Impeach Federal Judge

Georgia Republican Rep. Andrew Clyde ripped the federal judge he is moving to impeach as a “partisan activist” during a Wednesday episode of the Republican Study Committee’s podcast that was provided exclusively to the Daily Caller.

Clyde announced plans to file articles of impeachment against Judge John James McConnell in February, writing on X that McConnell was “a partisan activist weaponizing our judicial system.” He officially moved to impeach Judge McConnell on Monday.

I’m drafting articles of impeachment for U.S. District Judge John McConnell Jr.

He’s a partisan activist weaponizing our judicial system to stop President Trump’s funding freeze on woke and wasteful government spending.

We must end this abusive overreach. Stay tuned. https://t.co/ARp7KBjK9u

— Rep. Andrew Clyde (@Rep_Clyde) February 12, 2025

Clyde argued that McConnell committed “high crimes and misdemeanors” when he blocked President Donald Trump’s freeze of federal funds for non-government organizations (NGOs).

McConnell issued a Jan. 31 order blocking Trump’s freeze, writing “the federal grants to States and others that are impounded through the Executive’s pause in disbursement will cause irreparable harm.”

Clyde explained to the other congressmen on the podcast “Right to the Point,” Republican South Carolina Rep. Ralph Norman, and Republican Texas Rep. Brian Babin, that President Trump’s authority to freeze the funds is fully guaranteed to him under Article Two of the Constitution. (RELATED: Republican Study Committee Has A Brand New Way To Deliver Their Message)

“Americans in the November 5 election, they decided that Donald Trump is the one who will lead the executive and, by the way, through his incredible win of both the popular vote and all seven of the swing states, they gave him a mandate to get rid of the waste, fraud and abuse,” Clyde said on the podcast. “And this judge is now saying, ‘Oh no, I’m sorry, but we’re freezing that — you can’t do that.’”

Clyde also noted that McConnell, a chief judge of the U.S. district court in Rhode Island, has a major conflict of interest.

“This man is the chairman and has been on the board of a nonprofit in Rhode Island for over 20 years, and this funding freeze that the president put in place would have frozen money to that nonprofit. So now he — as a board member of the nonprofit — is using his authority as a judge to to put a hold to put a restraining order on that freeze so that his NGO continues to get money,” Clyde said.

McConnell volunteered to be the director of Rhode Island’s branch of Planned Parenthood for four years, according to Roll Call.

“Money flows to him. That is a clear violation of the canons,” Clyde continued.

In addition to being affiliated with Planned Parenthood, McConnell has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Democrats before his time as a federal judge. His donation recipients included presidential campaigns for Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Barack Obama, according to Federal Election Commission records. (RELATED: Congress Has The Tools To Stop Rogue Judges From Overriding Trump’s Agenda — Without Reaching For Impeachment)

“Congress has the sole authority of impeachment,” Clyde said. “And that’s exactly what we’re doing. And this judge is a great example of a judge that must be impeached by Congress.”

In addition to revealing his reasonings for impeachment, Clyde discussed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a recent string of SWAT calls on conservative journalists and anti-Trump government weaponization in the podcast episode.