‘SHAM Act’: Bradley Byrne Introduces Bill to Audit the Cost of Democrats’ Partisan Impeachment

Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-AL) on Thursday introduced the Statement of Harm to the American Majority (SHAM) Act, a bill that would seek to determine the amount of time, money, and loss of productivity “wasted” on the Democrats’ recently concluded impeachment effort.

Byrne’s office explained in a press release:

The SHAM Act, which enjoys the support of 26 co-sponsors, requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct an audit of the use of funds and loss of government productivity for both the Legislative Branch and the Executive Branch due to the impeachment inquiry and trial of President Trump. The audit must include costs, time spent, expenses, and estimations on [the] loss of productivity.

High-ranking members of the Democrat majority in the House carried out the impeachment probe, and the Senate conducted the trial.

The GAO is an independent, nonpartisan agency often referred to as the “congressional watchdog.”

Byrne declared in a statement:

Tragically, there was no bigger loser in the Democrats’ impeachment sham than the American people. The SHAM Act will determine the true costs of this taxpayer-funded political hit job that kept Congress from addressing real issues that actually matter to the American people. The American people deserve to see just how much time and money was wasted on this sham, so the Democrats can be held accountable for what they have done to our country.

The bill requires that the GAO issue a report of its findings 180 days after lawmakers approve the act.

Byrne introduced the proposal a day after the Republican-controlled Senate voted to acquit President Donald Trump of the two articles of impeachment approved by the House — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) left the door open for another impeachment effort by the Democrats.