Momentum for Trump impeachment reaches tipping point as dozens of Congressmen demand his removal from office
House Democrats seem to have acquired inexorable momentum towards impeaching President Donald Trump in the last fifteen hours since seven front-line freshmen Representatives published a bombshell Washington Post op-editorial article at 9 pm Eastern time last night.
Last night, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) began quietly feeling out her caucus on impeachment for the first time after releasing an “unprecedented” letter on Sunday afternoon, drawing a line in the sand over withholding the whistleblower complaint exposing President Trump’s extortion scheme.
While Donald Trump spoke to the U.N. General Assembly this morning, the Speaker began meeting with the assembled Democratic caucus for an impeachment strategy session that Politico calls a “seismic” change toward impeachment.
Since the Freshmen 7’s op-ed last night by Reps. Gil Cisneros of California, Jason Crow of Colorado, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Elaine Luria of Virginia, Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey, Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, 16 other Representatives have announced their support for a House Resolution to impeach the president before 2 pm eastern time, for a total of 23 new supporters in the last 17 hours.
“It is a tipping point,” says House Judiciary member Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, who declared support for an impeachment investigation on June 21st after seeing some of Mueller’s evidence confidentially.
“Many of my colleagues are now hearing from Republican constituents that what President Trump is doing undermines national security, and abuses his power,” says Rep. Mucarsel-Powell.
House Democrats across the country chose today to announce their support for the formal impeachment inquiry into President Trump, specifically over his withholding of Congressionally appropriated aid to Ukraine, and Pelosi told NBC that we will see an announcement this afternoon.
BREAKING: Speaker Pelosi tells @AlexNBCNews when asked about impeachment: "Later today I will make an announcement after I meet with my chairmen, my leadership and my caucus.”
— NBC Politics (@NBCPolitics) September 24, 2019
Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) is one of the emotional leaders of the House, and longest-serving members, who used a floor speech during the General Orders of the House to declare his impassioned support for an impeachment inquiry.
Story continues below tweet:
"There comes a time when you have to be moved by the spirit of history to take action to protect and preserve the integrity of our nation. I believe the time to begin an impeachment inquiry against this President has come." – @repjohnlewis #TrumpImpeachmentTippingPointTuesday pic.twitter.com/2BsqNvmRBJ
— Grant Stern (@grantstern) September 24, 2019
A pair of Nevada Representatives told their local statewide political news that they support an impeachment inquiry.
So did two Texas Representatives in the Dallas Morning News.
The diverse group includes Representatives from New Jersey, Minnesota, Florida, Connecticut, New York, and California, in addition, multiple members from Michigan and Virginia.
A source inside Rep. Donna Shalala’s office told Occupy Democrats that she intends to release a statement of support momentarily which will bring the number to 171 House Democrats in favor of impeachment.
Member of Congress, including some Democratic Senators, continue to weigh in in favor of impeachment as this article is being written.
“Having personally experienced the Russian interference in our elections,” says Florida State Senator Annette Taddeo (D-Miami) whose 2016 Congressional run was derailed by an attack on the DCCC as to why Trump should be impeached for attempting to coerce election support from Ukraine. “There comes a time when you have to put country before anything else, because our democracy depends on it.”
It is undeniable that the dam has broken on the Democratic push towards impeaching President Trump, which unhappily for him coincides with the one week each year that nearly every world leader is here in New York City, his hometown.
NBC News reports that the Speaker is expected to formally declare her support for impeachment at a press conference this afternoon.
Here are some of the many tweets with House Democrats declaring their support for an immediate impeachment inquiry into President Donald J. Trump:
Enough is enough, I join Americans calling for impeachment proceedings.
— Rep. Lois Frankel (@RepLoisFrankel) September 24, 2019
Rep. Gregory Meeks joins the list of Democrats calling for an impeachment inquiry into Trump: "I believe at this moment that the President's refusal to hand over the whistleblower information is a direct obstruction to the United States Congress" https://t.co/5Ow0PeZw1j pic.twitter.com/yqAlcc3pmQ
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) September 24, 2019
President Trump may have used the power of his office to pressure a foreign head of state for his own personal political gain. If true, these actions represent an impeachable offense. My statement calling for an impeachment inquiry: https://t.co/RChsYOZS3D pic.twitter.com/9xMbdFG3uh
— Rep. Haley Stevens (@RepHaleyStevens) September 24, 2019
I swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and to uphold our nation’s laws.
Read my statement on the withholding of a whistleblower complaint from Congress: pic.twitter.com/F9CS9OddXW
— Rep. Colin Allred (@RepColinAllred) September 24, 2019
The American people deserve to understand the depth & breadth of Trump’s ethical & criminal violations following recent revelations, and impeachment inquiry should be put on the fast track and all of the facts made plain. https://t.co/Thn6GZmylW pic.twitter.com/XNbhjvfWnY
— US Rep Kathy Castor (@USRepKCastor) September 24, 2019
I believe that it is my Constitutional duty and the duty of the United States Congress to move forward with impeachment inquiries. Please read my complete statement below: pic.twitter.com/CoH3TYkZxg
— Tom Suozzi (@RepTomSuozzi) September 24, 2019
is the Executive Editor of Occupy Democrats and published author. His new Meet the Candidates 2020 book series is distributed by Simon and Schuster. He's also mortgage broker, community activist and radio personality in Miami, Florida., as well as the producer of the Dworkin Report podcast. Grant is also an occasional contributor to Raw Story, Alternet, and the DC Report, and an unpaid senior advisor to the Democratic Coalition and a Director of Sunshine Agenda Inc. a government transparency nonprofit organization. Get all of his stories sent directly to your inbox here: