National

House Democrats Reject Vote to Impeach Trump

WASHINGTON INFORMER — The House voted on earlier this month to table a resolution by Texas Rep. Al Green to impeach President Donald Trump. A majority of Democrats joined Republicans in voting to table Green’s measure, which the outspoken representative based on Trump’s recent racist remarks against four freshmen congresswomen of color. The vote was 332-95, with 137 Democrats siding with 194 Republicans.

Published

5 years ago

July 26, 2019

Oakland Post

By Stacy Brown

The House voted on earlier this month to table a resolution by Texas Rep. Al Green to impeach President Donald Trump.

A majority of Democrats joined Republicans in voting to table Green’s measure, which the outspoken representative based on Trump’s recent racist remarks against four freshmen congresswomen of color. The vote was 332-95, with 137 Democrats siding with 194 Republicans.

Ninety-five Democrats — who had previously called for Trump’s impeachment or an inquiry — voted against the move to table the measure, and in doing so, are keeping their options open. ABC News reported that notable progressives, including Chairmen Jerry Nadler of the Judiciary Committee and Jim McGovern of the Rules Committee, voted “no” against the effort, along with members of the Congressional Black Caucus and Hispanic Caucus, some of the strongest voices for impeachment in Congress.

“It’s time to step up and do something about this president,” Green said, echoing comments he’d made a year ago to reporters and publishers of the Black Press of America.

Earlier, Green introduced articles of impeachment in the form of a privileged resolution that required the House to take up the measure within two legislative days.

However, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and a majority of Democrats have opposed impeachment because they said the Republican-led Senate would never convict Trump. They also fear that a failed conviction in the Senate would only help Trump’s re-election campaign, something several experts agree with.

“At this point in time, impeachment is a terrible idea and could potentially play into Trump’s own narrative,” said David Pring-Mill, a consultant to startups and political causes.

“Victimizers sometimes play the role of the victim in order to justify their own abusive behavior, reframe perceptions, establish false equivalence, energize advantageous divisions, and intensify or gain support,” Pring-Mill said.

Further, any Democratic victory would ring hollow to Trump’s supporters, who would retreat further into their belief that elites have stacked the deck against them out of disregard or disdain, Pring-Mill said.

Impeachment is often spoken of for political reasons, said Matt C. Pinsker, an adjunct professor of Homeland Security and Criminal Justice at the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University.
“Unlike the criminal justice system which requires a burden of proof and due process, impeachment is a political maneuver and there is no such thing as malpractice for congress,” Pinsker said.

Steven Isaac Azizi, a senior partner at Miracle Mile Law Group, said the Democratic majority is hesitant for a number of reasons to impeach the president.

“I believe the foremost reason is that congress is rejecting the idea is because of the sheer reputational damage it would instill in the international world’s eyes and another maybe the ignition of pro-Trump supporters,” Azizi said.

“These are without a doubt, the cons of any potential impeachment. On the other hand, a potential pro to a Trump impeachment would be the riddance of the rhetoric that he brings along with him,” Azizi said. “In any event, impeachment would be accompanied by severe consequences that would reverberate around the whole world,” he said.

Rep. Green told his colleagues that they should look in the mirror.

“If you did what the president has done, you would be punished. What we’ve done so far doesn’t fine him, and it does not remove him from his job,” Green said. “You would lose your jobs. The president cannot be above the law,” he said.

Unmoved, Trump doubled down on his Twitter comments about the congresswomen he offended by saying they should go back where they came from.

“If they don’t want to lover our country, if they don’t want to fight for our country, they can leave. I’ll never change on that,” Trump told reporters.

This article originally appeared in the Washington Informer.

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Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

Published

4 days ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

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Barbara Lee

Congresswoman Barbara Lee Issues Statement on Deaths of Humanitarian Aid Volunteers in Gaza 

On April 2, a day after an Israeli airstrike erroneously killed seven employees of World Central Kitchen (WCK), a humanitarian organization delivering aid in the Gaza Strip, a statement was release by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12). “This is a devastating and avoidable tragedy. My prayers go to the families and loved ones of the selfless members of the World Central Kitchen team whose lives were lost,” said Lee.

Published

6 days ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Congresswoman Barbara Lee

By California Black Media

“This is a devastating and avoidable tragedy. My prayers go to the families and loved ones of the selfless members of the World Central Kitchen team whose lives were lost,” said Lee.

The same day, it was confirmed by the organization that the humanitarian aid volunteers were killed in a strike carried out by Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Prior to the incident, members of the team had been travelling in two armored vehicles marked with the WCF logo and they had been coordinating their movements with the IDF. The group had successfully delivered 10 tons of humanitarian food in a deconflicted zone when its convoy was struck.

“This is not only an attack against WCK. This is an attack on humanitarian organizations showing up in the direst situations where food is being used as a weapon of war. This is unforgivable,” said Erin Gore, chief executive officer of World Central Kitchen.

The seven victims included a U.S. citizen as well as others from Australia, Poland, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Palestine.

Lee has been a vocal advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza and has supported actions by President Joe Biden to airdrop humanitarian aid in the area.

“Far too many civilians have lost their lives as a result of Benjamin Netanyahu’s reprehensible military offensive. The U.S. must join with our allies and demand an immediate, permanent ceasefire – it’s long overdue,” Lee said.

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Commentary

Commentary: Republican Votes Are Threatening American Democracy

In many ways, it was great that the Iowa Caucuses were on the same day as Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We needed to know the blunt truth. The takeaway message after the Iowa Caucuses where Donald Trump finished more than 30 points in front of Florida Gov. De Santis and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley boils down to this: Our democracy is threatened, for real.

Published

1 week ago

April 16, 2024

Oakland Post

It was strange for Iowans to caucus on MLK day. It had a self-cancelling effect. The day that honored America’s civil rights and anti-discrimination hero was negated by evening. That’s when one of the least diverse states in the nation let the world know that white Americans absolutely love Donald Trump. No ifs, ands or buts.

By Emil Guillermo

In many ways, it was great that the Iowa Caucuses were on the same day as Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

We needed to know the blunt truth.

The takeaway message after the Iowa Caucuses where Donald Trump finished more than 30 points in front of Florida Gov. De Santis and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley boils down to this: Our democracy is threatened, for real.

And to save it will require all hands on deck.

It was strange for Iowans to caucus on MLK day. It had a self-cancelling effect. The day that honored America’s civil rights and anti-discrimination hero was negated by evening.

That’s when one of the least diverse states in the nation let the world know that white Americans absolutely love Donald Trump. No ifs, ands or buts.

No man is above the law? To the majority of his supporters, it seems Trump is.

It’s an anti-democracy loyalty that has spread like a political virus.

No matter what he does, Trump’s their guy. Trump received 51% of caucus-goers votes to beat Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who garnered 21.2%, and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who got 19.1%.

The Asian flash in the pan Vivek Ramaswamy finished way behind and dropped out. Perhaps to get in the VP line. Don’t count on it.

According to CNN’s entrance polls, when caucus-goers were asked if they were a part of the “MAGA movement,” nearly half — 46% — said yes. More revealing: “Do you think Biden legitimately won in 2020?”

Only 29% said “yes.”

That means an overwhelming 66% said “no,” thus showing the deep roots in Iowa of the “Big Lie,” the belief in a falsehood that Trump was a victim of election theft.

Even more revealing and posing a direct threat to our democracy was the question of whether Trump was fit for the presidency, even if convicted of a crime.

Sixty-five percent said “yes.”

Who says that about anyone of color indicted on 91 criminal felony counts?

Would a BIPOC executive found liable for business fraud in civil court be given a pass?

How about a BIPOC person found liable for sexual assault?

Iowans have debased the phrase, “no man is above the law.” It’s a mindset that would vote in an American dictatorship.

Compare Iowa with voters in Asia last weekend. Taiwan rejected threats from authoritarian Beijing and elected pro-democracy Taiwanese vice president Lai Ching-te as its new president.

Meanwhile, in our country, which supposedly knows a thing or two about democracy, the Iowa caucuses show how Americans feel about authoritarianism.

Some Americans actually like it even more than the Constitution allows.

About the Author

Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. He does a mini-talk show on YouTube.com/@emilamok1.