A vote for contempt is the most severe action the House can take because it puts the decision to prosecute at DOJ. Garland did with Steve Bannon. He won’t with Wray but it does illustrate his hyper-partisanship. An impeachment is symbolic for reasons you mentioned but is toothless.
I repeat, the strongest action McCarthy can take is to get the entire GOP caucus to vote for contempt and refer it to Garland.
If that’s all that they can do, they should do it and make a big show of doing it, and start doing a countdown of the days that Merrick has blown off prosecuting Wray after he has been found in contempt. With the cooperation of a few comedians, especially Gutfeld, Tyrus and Cat, this can stay in the public eye. Demoncrazy thrives in darkness.
Rush, thou shouldst be living in this day.