On the 16th of July, 2019, the House of Representatives led by the Democratic Party Speaker Nancy Pelosi passed a resolution condemning Donald Trump’s racist tweets , along a partisan-line vote of 240 to 187. The tweets were directing the congresswomen of color, knows as the Squad to “go home” to their countries. The motion passed by after a debate, and vote, over whether the speaker violated decorum in calling Trump’s racist comments racist.
The Republicans who voted for the resolution were Reps. Fred Upton (Mich.), Susan Brooks(Ind.), Will Hurd (Texas) and Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.).
The former GOP member, Rep Justin Amash of Michigan, the one member who has been pro-impeachment against the republican President Donald Trump also voted in favor of the resolution.
Read House Resolution against President Trump’s racist tweets: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/house-dems-resolution-trump-racist-tweets-pelosi …
The Squad includes the Democratic Party House Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan – sparked widespread uproar. Ocasio-Cortez, Pressley and Tlaib were all born in the US, while Omar is a naturalized American citizen who arrived in the country at a young age as a Somali refugee.
Incidentally, as per a 7/16/2019, Reuter’s report, “Support for U.S. President Donald Trump increased slightly among Republicans after he lashed out on Twitter over the weekend in a racially charged attack on four minority Democratic congresswomen, a Reuters/Ipsos public opinion poll shows.”
“Among independents, about three out of 10 said they approved of Trump, down from four out of 10 a week ago. His net approval – the percentage who approve minus the percentage who disapprove – dropped by 2 points among Democrats in the poll.”
Then the Democratic Party House lawmaker, Rep. Al Green of Texas took to the floor to announce that he’s filing “Articles of Impeachment” against President Trump despite the leadership opposing this move.
Here’s the rest of the story…
On July 16, 2019, Rachael Bade of the Washington Post penned the following report, “Rep. Green files articles of impeachment against Trump despite pushback from Democratic leaders”
Excerpts:
“Rep. Al Green filed articles of impeachment against President Trump on Tuesday night, triggering a contentious vote in the coming days to confront an issue that has bitterly divided the Democratic Party.”
“The Texas congressman, who notified Democratic leaders of his decision on Tuesday, said the House must impeach Trump for racist remarks suggesting four minority congresswoman “go back” to their ancestral countries as well as other comments made in the past. The four Democrats — Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (Minn.), Ayanna Pressley (Mass.) and Rashida Tlaib (Mich.) — are all citizens; three were born in the United States.”
“Donald John Trump has, by his statements, brought the high office of the President of the United States in contempt, ridicule, disgrace and disrepute, has sown discord among the people of the United States, has demonstrated that he is unfit to be President, and has betrayed his trust as President of the United States to the manifest injury of the people of the United States, and has committed a high misdemeanor in office,” Green read from his resolution on the House floor Tuesday night (7/16/2019).”
“Green’s move will force House Democrats to deal with the issue in the near term because of the privileged nature of the resolution. Under House rules, Democratic leadership can decide to try to table the impeachment articles, effectively killing them for now and risk criticism from the party’s liberal base; refer them to the House Judiciary Committee for possible consideration; or allow the vote to proceed.”
“If leaders do nothing, Green can force a vote on the impeachment articles in two legislative days.”
“The move comes as more than 80 members of the House have called for launching an impeachment inquiry. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has resisted, however, encouraging her chairmen to keep investigating the president for potential abuse of power and obstruction of justice.”
“The matter is likely to divide the caucus, which has grappled for months with the question of what to do about Trump. Even impeachment proponents seemed divided about whether it is wise to force the issue now. House Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) said he would support an immediate move to impeach the president, even voting against Democratic leaders should they try to refer the matter to committee to sideline the debate.”
“In all probability, I’d vote against it, because I’m prepared to vote,” he said of the possibility of leadership moving to table or refer the resolution to committee. “My district wants me to vote for the immediate impeachment of Donald Trump.”
“But others, such as Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), a strong impeachment backer, hesitated.”
“We’re trying to keep the caucus together as we respond to the most lawless administration of our lifetimes,” Raskin said. “I’m enough of a political pragmatist to believe that you call votes when you think you can win them, not when you think you can lose them.”
“Certain to be wary are moderates and lawmakers from districts that Trump won in 2016 who have long feared blowback for such a vote. Rep. Stephanie Murphy (Fla.), who leads the conservative Blue Dog Democrats, said, “I don’t think that we have completed the process or the investigations that we need to, to take that step at this time.” Rep. Jeff Van Drew (D-N.J.), a freshman from a swing district, said he would vote against the resolution.”
“Leadership, including Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Cheri Bustos (Ill.), was resigned to the likelihood that they could not stop the vote, even if they wanted to.”
“I can’t control what another member does, so it looks like that’s going to happen and we’re just going to have to deal with that,” Bustos said.”
“Leadership officials said Pelosi probably would refer the articles of impeachment to the Judiciary Committee or table them, though her office has not weighed in on the matter. Some Democratic aides, however, worry that Pelosi could struggle to find the votes to refer to the panel because it’d take a majority of her caucus. Republicans, according to a senior GOP leadership aide, are probably will not help deliver those votes.”
“Some have questioned the timing of Green’s move. The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to receive testimony from former special counsel Robert S. Mueller III next Wednesday, perhaps the most high-profile hearing in decades. Impeachment proponents hoped Mueller would spark new supporters, but they’re not sure Trump’s racist tweets will have the same effect.”
@TimOBrien tweeted following:
Gronda Morin 
and, it begins. Those of us glued to cspan yesterday are of a few minds I assume. Those fully in favor of impeachment, those who want it but are afraid they will not be able to vote it in and those opposed. The ones opposed should be noted and a no-holds-barred attempt to get them out of office should commence. I am very much afraid though, that there will be so much political blowback we shall be stuck with the orange baboon for yet another four years while our country goes straight into the sewer.
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Dear Suze,
According to the 6/21/2019 Politico report, “Pro-impeachment ranks grow — and backers see more coming” by Heather Caygle and John Bresnahan, “There’re about 200 House Democrats who favor an impeachment inquiry but they’ve not yet gone public, out of deference to the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.”
Speaker Pelosi is worried about protecting about 26 House Dems from Trump country who’re up for reelection in 2020. The GOP only need to flip 18 seats to regain a majority position. She’s paralyzed by the thought that Dems could lose their hard won majority position.
What she hasn’t figured out is, that while it’s risky to start -I-inquiry, it’s riskier not to commence it.
The reality is that President Trump could win in 2020 via the electoral college map. If that happens, and she did not do everything possible to take down this man, she and the Democratic Party will be toast. She’ll have lost her majority.
She doesn’t get that she has no choice but to commence the I-word.
Hugs, Gronda
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Well meaning and even well-deserved. But a complete waste of time. They don’t have the votes in the Senate.
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Dear Hugh,
None of the past impeached presidents were convicted/ ousted by Senate. This is nothing new. The US Constitution has separated out the duties of impeachment. The House Judiciary Committee commences the inquiry/ investigation stage and then they file the charges called, “Articles of Impeachment” that’s approved by a House majority vote. Then the charges are delivered to the US Senate where they conduct the trial.
The point is that during the Impeachment Inquiry stage, there’s wall to wall daily media coverage that educates the public regarding all the president’s wrong doing. The Dem Candidates could never afford to pay for this widespread media coverage.
Besides, Speaker Pelosi must know that President Trump will claim vindication if he’s not convicted by GOP led US Senate or if she never initiates an impeachment inquiry/ investigation. For example, she can count on President Trump touting the claim that the House didn’t act to impeach because he’s not guilty of any of the accusations being lodged against him and the proof’s in the pudding, because the House never acted to impeach him.
Hugs, Gronda
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