House Democrat Formally Files Article Of Impeachment Against Trump
"... high crimes and misdemeanors."
Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., formally introduced an article of impeachment against President Donald Trump on Wednesday, based on an accusation that Trump obstructed justice during the federal investigation of Russia’s alleged interference in the 2016 presidential election.
The move follows debate among Democrats over the political wisdom of pushing for impeachment at this time.
Impeachment requires a majority vote in the House, which is currently controlled by Republicans who hold a 24-seat advantage over Democrats.
Sherman alleges that Trump’s abrupt dismissal of former FBI Director James Comey in May while the Russia investigation was ongoing amounts to obstruction of justice and “high crimes and misdemeanors.”
Sherman cites Comey’s claim that Trump pressured him to discontinue the FBI’s investigation into former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn, and Trump’s shifting narrative regarding his motive for terminating Comey.
White House officials initially said Trump based his decision on Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein’s memo which criticized Comey’s handling of the FBI’s investigation into Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server.
Trump later told NBC News that the Russia investigation was on his mind when he was considering Comey’s dismissal.
The article of impeachment filed Wednesday states, “In all of this, Donald John Trump has acted in a manner contrary to his trust as president and subversive of constitutional government, to the great prejudice of the cause of law and justice and to the manifest injury of the people of the United States. Wherefore, Donald John Trump, by such conduct, warrants impeachment and trial, and removal from office.”
The impeachment initiative is unlikely to succeed in the Republican-controlled House.
Sherman said he hoped his move would signal a warning to the Trump White House and establish a legislative alternative in the unlikely event Republicans support forcing Trump out of office.
Sherman said he disagrees with Vice President Mike Pence, and never expected he would work to elevate Pence to the Oval Office.
“I served with Mike Pence in Congress for 12 years and I disagree with him on just about everything,” Sherman said in a statement. “I never dreamed I would author a measure that would put him in the White House.”
However, Sherman said, he wanted “to begin a long process to protect our country from abuse of power, obstruction of justice, and impulsive, ignorant incompetence.”
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