Top House Republican believes Nancy Pelosi withheld impeachment articles for nefarious reasons

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said on Fox News Sunday that he believes House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has withheld the approved articles of impeachment from the Senate for nefarious reasons.

Speaking with host Maria Bartiromo on "Sunday Morning Futures," McCarthy said the "dirty little secret" about Pelosi delaying the articles is that she has done so in order to boost Joe Biden's presidential campaign and hurt Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), whose campaign is gaining momentum by the day.

"The Iowa caucus is on Feb. 3. Bernie Sanders is in first place. And what this does is, this benefits Joe Biden," McCarthy said.

"This harms Senator Sanders, who is in first place and could become their nominee, because he will be stuck in a chair, because Nancy Pelosi held the papers, different than what she said to the American public why she had to move so urgently," he continued.

"She told the American public it was urgent. She had to move so fast. The only reason why she should be — that she is doing this that no one is talking about — it is harming Bernie Sanders, the senator, who has been coming into first place, who could win Iowa and propel himself to be the nominee," McCarthy explained. "It's the exact same thing they did to him four years ago."

McCarthy: Pelosi delayed articles to give Biden an edge in 2020 primarieswww.youtube.com

Indeed, a new Des Moines Register/CNN poll revealed last week that Sanders has taken the lead in Iowa with less than one month before the Iowa caucuses.

Despite his campaign's surge, however, Sanders still trails Biden nationally, according to RealClearPolitics.

Pelosi announced last week that she would transfer the two approved articles of impeachment — one for abuse of power and another for obstruction of Congress — to the Senate this week, meaning President Donald Trump's impeachment trial could begin within days.