23 Democrats join Republicans to block Al Green’s Trump impeachment bid

WASHINGTON, DC: Twenty-three Democrats joined House Republicans on Thursday, December 11, to block Democratic Rep. Al Green’s latest push to impeach President Donald Trump.

Green attempted to force a vote late Wednesday night, December 10, by introducing two articles of impeachment through a privileged resolution, a procedure that requires lawmakers to act within two legislative days.

Democrats join GOP to block Donald Trump impeachment

On Thursday, Republicans moved to hold a vote to table the measure, effectively stopping the privileged resolution from moving forward. The House voted 237–140 to table it, with 47 members voting “present.”

The 23 Democrats who voted to table included Reps. Tom Suozzi of New York, Josh Riley of New York, Jared Golden of Maine, Jimmy Panetta of California, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, Sharice Davids of Kansas, Don Davis of North Carolina, Shomari Figures of Alabama, and others

Many Democrats also voted “present,” including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Minority Whip Katherine Clark, and Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar.

In a statement, they said impeachment is "a sacred constitutional vehicle designed to hold a corrupt executive accountable for abuse of power, breaking the law, and violating the public trust."

They argued that impeachment traditionally requires a thorough investigative process, collection and review of thousands of documents, scrutiny of facts, examination of dozens of witnesses, Congressional hearings, and sustained public organizing to build broad national consensus.

They concluded that “none of that serious work has been done, with the Republican majority focused solely on rubber-stamping Donald Trump’s extreme agenda. Accordingly, we voted ‘present’ on today’s motion to table the impeachment resolution while continuing our fight to make life more affordable for everyday Americans."

Al Green files two articles of impeachment against Donald Trump

Green has filed articles of impeachment against Trump several times over the past year. His latest effort includes two articles alleging abuse of power.

The first article accuses Trump of calling for the “execution” of six congressional Democrats. The remarks came after Trump accused those lawmakers of “seditious behavior,” which he claimed was “punishable by death,” in response to a video urging military service members to refuse illegal federal orders. The video sparked outrage among conservatives and prompted the FBI to open an inquiry, with all six lawmakers defending their statements.

The second article alleges that Trump fostered a political environment that exposes lawmakers and judges to threats of violence. It further claims he intensified this climate by making threats and harsh remarks toward federal judges, putting their safety at risk and undermining judicial independence.

Although most Democrats criticize Trump’s conduct, few have pursued impeachment, which is widely viewed as symbolic. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries has repeatedly avoided committing to an impeachment stance. On December 1, he declined to endorse impeachment following US military strikes on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat, noting Republicans would block any articles from reaching the House floor and emphasizing the need for a bipartisan investigation.