WASHINGTON — The House overwhelmingly voted Wednesday to kill a resolution from a liberal Democratic lawmaker to impeach President Donald Trump as a majority of Democrats joined Republicans in opposing the move.
Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, said Trump had associated his presidency with causes rooted in bigotry and racism. To back his claim accusing Trump of high misdemeanours, Green cited incidents such as Trump’s blaming both sides for violence at a deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, and his recent sharing of hateful, anti-Muslim videos posted online by a fringe British extremist group.
After his resolution was read aloud, the House voted 364-58 to table the resolution. Four Democratic lawmakers also voted present. The vast majority of Democrats joined with Republicans in voting to table it in the GOP-led House.
Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said in a statement shortly before the vote that while “legitimate questions have been raised about his fitness to lead this nation,” they argued “now is not the time to consider articles of impeachment.”
Several Democratic lawmakers expressed serious reservations with the effort, saying it’s premature to act before special counsel Robert Mueller’s team completes its investigation into Russian election meddling.
Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., said Democratic lawmakers cannot allow themselves to be drawn into a process “that’s not thoughtful or complete or might not even be the conclusion we ought to draw.”
“We ought to let Mr. Mueller complete his full investigation rather than engage in what would essentially be a public relations stunt,” Kildee said. “This is a serious thing. It ought not to be done on a whim.”