The House Judiciary Committee on Thursday approved a resolution which defines the scope of a potential impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump.
The party-line 24-17 vote occurred after two hours of debate between Democrats and Republicans about the so-called inquiry’s parameters.
House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY) tried to clear up any misconceptions as the committee approved guidelines for impeachment hearings on President Trump. Some of Nadler’s fellow Democrats — including House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) — have stumbled over how to explain what they’re doing.
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“Some call this process an impeachment inquiry. Some call it an impeachment investigation. There is no legal difference between these terms, and I no longer care to argue about the nomenclature,” Nadler said as he opened the meeting. “But let me clear up any remaining doubt: The conduct under investigation poses a threat to our democracy. We have an obligation to respond to this threat. And we are doing so.”
Republicans disagree with Nadler and they argue that the House has never voted to open an official inquiry. Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA), the top Republican on the committee, said the committee “has become a giant Instagram filter … it’s put in there to look like something, but it’s really not.”
Collins said Democrats are trying to have it both ways.
“My colleagues know very well they don’t have the votes to authorize impeachment proceedings on the House floor, but they want to impeach the president anyway,” Collins said. “So, they are pretending to initiate impeachment.”
Impeachment has divided Democrats who control the House. Democrats on Nadler’s committee, including some of the most liberal members of the House, have been eager to move forward with the process. But moderates, mostly first-term lawmakers who handed their party the majority in the 2018 election, are concerned about the committee’s drumbeat on impeachment and the attention that comes with that continued action.
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Fury erupts as US brand fires 1,600 employees after securing thousands of foreign worker visas
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Viral Clip Proves Jasmine Crockett Still Can’t Blame Herself for Senate Primary Loss to Talarico: ‘It Was a Racist Race’
Watch: Trump Says Iranian Leaders Begging for New Deal But He’s Not Sure ‘They’re Worthy’
Trump says Democrats replacing Platner is ‘very hard for them to do’
Charlie Kirk family demands judge reveal hidden evidence from accused assassin’s hearing
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DOJ’s Harmeet Dhillon: Some states have ‘homework to do’ to keep noncitizens from voting in midterm elections
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With regard to impeachment, the biggest elephant in the room is House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), who has long opposed Congress taking the lead on ousting the president. Instead, Pelosi has insisted that committees continue their investigations into President Trump and his associates in search of possible wrongdoings. Earlier this week, the speaker dismissed concerns that Nadler’s recent maneuvers exhibit how she’s losing control over her caucus. “I think you should characterize it [the resolution] for what it is,” Pelosi told Fox News. “It’s a continuation of what we have been doing. You know, we all work together on these things”
Not only is Pelosi unwilling to move the ball forward on impeachment, but the speaker also believes the American people do not want to see lawmakers take up the matter at this time.
“The public isn’t there on impeachment. It’s your voice and constituency, but give me the leverage I need to make sure that we’re ready and it is as strong as it can be,” Pelosi said during a caucus-wide conference call last month.
“The equities we have to weigh are our responsibility to protect and defend the Constitution and to be unifying and not dividing. But if and when we act, people will know he gave us no choice,” she added.
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Fury erupts as US brand fires 1,600 employees after securing thousands of foreign worker visas
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Air Force rescinding 135 promotions after test scoring error: ‘This is going to be hard’
Viral Clip Proves Jasmine Crockett Still Can’t Blame Herself for Senate Primary Loss to Talarico: ‘It Was a Racist Race’
Watch: Trump Says Iranian Leaders Begging for New Deal But He’s Not Sure ‘They’re Worthy’
Trump says Democrats replacing Platner is ‘very hard for them to do’
Charlie Kirk family demands judge reveal hidden evidence from accused assassin’s hearing
Trump’s voter ID bill catches unlikely break as McConnell remains sidelined
DOJ’s Harmeet Dhillon: Some states have ‘homework to do’ to keep noncitizens from voting in midterm elections
House Republican Thomas Massie suggests Obamacare could now be labeled ‘Trumpcare’
Trump holds Washington hostage over SAVE Act as midterm clock ticks on GOP control
Maryland may finally see redistricting action — just not the way Wes Moore wanted
US on track to intercept 16 times as many suspected terrorists at border under Trump thanks to cartel designations
Music and patriotism: Dukes of Hazzard star praises community and family at Great American State Fair
Meanwhile, President Trump took to Twitter following the vote to seemingly underline the political motivations behind an impeachment inquiry and quoted Rep. Al Green (D-TX), who introduced articles of impeachment in June.
““We can’t beat him, so lets impeach him!” Democrat Rep. Al Green,” the president recounted the lawmaker proposing earlier this year.
“We can’t beat him, so lets impeach him!” Democrat Rep. Al Green
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 12, 2019
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