Vote to Impeach Trump Was Nearly Held Wednesday

Though the chances of it passing were essentially zero
By Michael Harthorne,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 11, 2017 6:13 PM CDT
Congressman Nearly Forces Vote on Trump Impeachment
Congressman Al Green, seen here in May, read a resolution to impeach President Trump on Wednesday from the House floor.   (Godofredo A. Vasquez/Houston Chronicle via AP)

While the actual impeachment of President Trump may never happen, a Congressional vote on it nearly did when Rep. Al Green of Texas read an impeachment resolution Wednesday on the House floor, the Washington Post reports. According to the Hill, Green introduced impeachment as a privileged resolution, which allows a member of Congress to force a vote on it within two legislative days. But when the GOP presiding officer moved to consider the impeachment resolution less than an hour later, Green was a no-show. While Green says he wanted to give fellow Democrats a chance to review his resolution and was told it wouldn't be brought up for an immediate vote, multiple Democratic aides say Green was pressured to drop it by Democratic leadership.

One Democratic aide says the impeachment resolution—which states Trump has "undermined the integrity of his office," "brought disrepute on the presidency," and caused "immediate injury to American society"—would lead to "a complicated vote that cannot be easily explained." Democratic leaders are hesitant to move forward on impeachment, which could alienate liberals or moderates depending on their vote, while investigations into Trump are ongoing. Meanwhile, the New York Times reports California billionaire Tom Steyer sent a letter to Democratic leaders Wednesday demanding lawmakers and candidates support impeachment if they want any more of his money. Steyer is one of the Democratic Party's biggest donors, having given more than $91 million in 2016. He wants to make impeachment a major issue in the 2018 midterms. (More impeachment stories.)

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