The impeachment machinery has cranked up once again on Capitol Hill, and this time there is no procedural escape hatch for the House of Representatives.
Rep. Al Green of Texas filed articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump on Wednesday, but with a significant twist that separates this effort from his previous attempts. Green designated his resolution as privileged, a parliamentary maneuver that compels the full House to vote on the matter within two legislative days. No committee review, no leadership interference, just a straight vote on the House floor.
This marks at least the fifth time this year that Green has introduced impeachment articles against Trump, but it represents the first occasion he has forced his colleagues to go on record with their positions. Previous efforts allowed Democratic leadership to sidestep the issue or refer the matter to committee, where such resolutions typically languish and die quiet deaths.
The articles accuse the president of calling for the execution of six Democratic lawmakers and making threats of violence against judges. The execution claim stems from Trump’s response after those same Democratic members urged military personnel to refuse what they termed illegal orders. Green characterizes Trump as an abuser of presidential power who poses an ongoing threat to democratic institutions.
“President Trump is an abuser of presidential power who, if left in office, will continue to promote violence, engender invidious hate, undermine our democracy, and dissolve our Republic,” Green stated.
The timing bears examination. Green’s previous impeachment push in June, which centered on Trump’s decision to order airstrikes on Iran, failed to gain traction among his Democratic colleagues. The House voted to kill that effort outright. Whether this attempt fares any better remains an open question, but the forced vote will provide a clear picture of where House members stand.
Trump is not the sole target of impeachment efforts this week. The Democratic caucus has expanded its focus to include members of the Trump cabinet. Rep. Haley Stevens of Michigan formally introduced articles against Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., arguing he has abandoned scientific principles and compromised public safety. Stevens had telegraphed this move back in September, giving Kennedy months of advance notice.
Meanwhile, Rep. Shri Thanedar, also of Michigan, set his sights on War Secretary Pete Hegseth, citing reports of controversial orders related to drug trafficking interdiction operations.
The flurry of impeachment activity raises questions about strategy and timing. With Green having failed multiple times to rally Democratic support for removing Trump, the decision to force a vote now suggests either newfound confidence in the caucus or a desire to put members on record regardless of the outcome.
Former Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf weighed in on the broader political landscape, discussing upcoming testimony from Kristi Noem on worldwide threats and data indicating millions of migrants have departed the United States since Trump assumed office.
The House will vote this week. The outcome will reveal whether Green’s persistence has finally found purchase among his colleagues or whether this represents another failed attempt to remove a sitting president through the impeachment process.
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