A California representative is introducing impeachment measures against Trump—here’s what happens next
After President Donald Trump’s inauguration, it didn’t take long for many to wonder how (and when) he could be removed from office. During the 45th president’s first two years in the White House, pundits, Congressional Democrats, and journalists have all floated the idea of impeachment, but so far, attempts to make it a reality haven’t succeeded. However, as of today, January 3rd, Democrats have taken control of the House of Representatives, and Representative Brad Sherman of California is already planning to introduce impeachment measures.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Sherman will reintroduce articles of impeachment that he first brought to Congress in 2017. The articles reportedly cite several reasons for the impeachment, including an accusation that the president obstructed justice by firing former FBI director James Comey.
"There is no reason it shouldn’t be before the Congress," Sherman told the LA Times. "Every day, Donald Trump shows that leaving the White House would be good for our country."
On the first day of Democratic control of the House, Northridge Democrat Brad Sherman plans to introduce a measure to impeach Donald Trump. https://t.co/MSVcuYkgWw
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) January 3, 2019
But introducing impeachment measures is only the first step in a long process. According to CNBC, the House will have to vote on whether or not to pursue Sherman’s articles of impeachment, and if they agree to proceed, Trump will face a trial in the Senate. The president can only be removed from office if two-thirds of senators vote to convict him of impeachment charges—which would be difficult since Republicans still hold a majority.
Incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi hasn’t ruled out impeaching Trump, but in an interview on the Today show this morning, she expressed a desire to wait for special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation to conclude before proceeding.
"We shouldn't be impeaching for a political reason, and we shouldn't avoid impeachment for a political reason," she said.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx50k42aLqE?feature=oembed
Other House Democrats have previously tried to impeach Trump, although these efforts were unsuccessful. In May 2017, Representative Al Green requested that articles of impeachment be filed against Trump, and later that year, after he introduced his impeachment measures, the House voted not to proceed. Representative Steve Cohen made a similar effort, filing five impeachment articles in November 2017.
For now, it’s not clear if Sherman’s articles will make much progress, and in the meantime, we’ll have to wait and see how Congress decides to proceed.
