GOP rep 'weighing' Hegseth impeachment but says his biggest concerns aren't in it
WASHINGTON, DC: As the House of Representatives returns after a long break on Monday, November 9, one member filed a privileged resolution containing eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
With the vote due by Wednesday, a Republican is weighing whether to support Rep Thomas Massie’s resolution against the Pentagon chief.
Thomas Massie files eight impeachment articles against Pete Hegseth
GOP Rep Thomas Massie of Kentucky filed articles of impeachment against Hegseth on Monday.
Massie said Hegseth abused his official power through actions taken during the Iran war and “knowingly executed and implemented unlawful orders to initiate war against a foreign nation.”
The outgoing lawmaker, who has been a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, said that if Hegseth is allowed to remain in position, he would be a “threat to the Constitution.”
“Secretary of Defense Peter Hegseth, by such conduct, has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to the Constitution if allowed to remain in office, and has acted in a manner grossly incompatible with his duties and the rule of law,” Massie said.
Don Bacon weighs supporting impeachment against Hegseth
Outgoing Rep Don Bacon (R-Neb) said on Monday that he was still weighing whether to support Massie's (R-Ky) articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
“Well, I’m weighing it. We have eight articles, and I’m not very sympathetic to those articles. I feel like Iran’s waged war against us for 47 years. I don’t think the president’s done a good job at times,” Bacon said.
Bacon also argued that his main concerns about Hegseth were not covered in the eight articles.
He pointed to the firing of 80 generals and admirals and the withholding of approved funds for Ukraine as issues that concerned him more.
“The areas that concern me most about the secretary aren’t in the articles of impeachment: the firing and redlining of 80 generals or admirals, the withholding of appropriated money all year for Ukraine. I’m not the only one who feels that. There’s a bunch of us that have been talking about it,” Bacon added.
When asked if he would support impeachment articles based on those concerns, Bacon said that he would be “more inclined to.” However, he said he was not planning to draft them, adding that he did not believe the effort would succeed in the Senate.
Bacon also said lawmakers had other priorities, including passing a farm bill and an appropriations bill, as well as avoiding a government shutdown.
