Socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is officials on the impeach Trump bandwagon.
AOC announced her intent to become the third lawmaker to sign onto legislation introduced late last month that calls on the House Judiciary Committee to investigate whether Trump committed impeachable offenses, despite a recently concluded two year special counsel investigation that found no evidence of criminal activity.
The resolution, H. Res. 257, was introduced by AOC’s fellow Justice Democrat, freshman Rep. Rashida Tlaib, on March 27. Tlaib and Rep. Al Green, of Texas, are the only two lawmakers to sign onto the legislation, which doesn’t actually describe what the Judiciary should investigate.
Mueller’s report is clear in pointing to Congress’ responsibility in investigating obstruction of justice by the President.
It is our job as outlined in Article 1, Sec 2, Clause 5 of the US Constitution.
As such, I’ll be signing onto @RashidaTlaib’s impeachment resolution. https://t.co/CgPZJiULOL
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 18, 2019
AOC’s endorsement on Twitter Thursday boosts support for moving forward with impeachment to three lawmakers, out of 435.
“Mueller’s report is clear in pointing to Congress’ responsibility in investigating obstruction of justice by the President,” AOC posted with a link to The Washington Post claiming “Mueller’s team couldn’t rule out that Trump criminally obstructed justice.”
“It is our job as outlined I Article 1, Sec 2, Clause 5 of the US Constitution,” she wrote. “As such, I’ll be signing onto @RashidaTlaib’s impeachment resolution.”
While I understand the political reality of the Senate + election considerations, upon reading this DoJ report, which explicitly names Congress in determining obstruction, I cannot see a reason for us to abdicate from our constitutionally mandated responsibility to investigate.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 18, 2019
“While I understand the political reality of the Senate + election considerations, upon reading this DoJ report, which explicitly names Congress in determining obstruction, I cannot see a reason for us to abdicate from our constitutionally mandated responsibility to investigate,” AOC wrote in a follow-up post.
The move puts AOC directly at odds with party leaders who have worked to tamp down impeachment talk in recent weeks. On Thursday, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told CNN impeachment proceedings aren’t “worthwhile at this point.”
“Based on what we have seen to date, going forward on impeachment is not worthwhile at this point,” Hoyer said. “Very frankly, there is an election in 18 months and the American people will make a judgement.”
Those comments seem to echo House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s remarks to The Washington Post last month.
Pelosi said she’s “not for impeachment” because the president is “just not worth it.”
Other Democrats, such as D.C. Del. Elanor Holmes Norton, are attempting to warn their colleagues of the potential consequences of pursuing impeachment, which would almost certainly end in acquittal in the Republican controlled Senate.
“Even if the House had a majority for impeachment, for sure, the Senate, controlled by Republicans, would not have the 2/3 necessary for conviction,” Norton wrote in a prepared statement.
“What a waste to squander our first majority in eight years on a futile impeachment process,” she wrote.
“The public expects Democrats to show something for the majority they have given us. The question of Trump’s obstruction of justice, which many Americans believe they saw in plain sight, is still on the table,” Norton wrote. “That leaves a great deal of investigation to be done by Congress. That does not change my view, however, that impeachment will take us down a road that goes nowhere.”
Pelosi tells Democrats in letter on Mueller Report: “We will update you on the next steps that must be taken.The Caucus is scheduling a conference call for Monday to discuss this grave matter which is as soon as our analysis and this Holy Season’s religious traditions allow.” pic.twitter.com/20AokvO1Jl
— Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) April 19, 2019
Pelosi issued a letter to Democrats on Thursday night to schedule a conference call for Monday to “discuss this grave matter” and map out the party’s next steps, according to The Huffington Post.
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