‘Impeachment Worked Last Time’: Democrat Defends New Trump Impeachment Bid

At least one Democrat won’t give up on impeachment: Rep. Al Green (D-TX) has been talking about impeaching Donald Trump since shortly after the president returned to office.

He heckled the president during an address to Congress in February, leading to a rebuke from his colleagues.

Green’s colleague, Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI), introduced articles of impeachment against Trump last month, and even tried to force a vote on the articles, but was ultimately pushed to withdraw that by party leadership, with various colleagues giving negative, often profane quotes about what Thanedar was doing.

The argument was that members of Congress in swing districts would be forced into a tough vote that had no chance of succeeding.

Even after that, Green has pushed forward. On May 16, Green announced that he had introduced articles of impeachment against the president, with a resolution called H.Res.415.

Another Trump Impeachment Push?

“The resolution states that the President has devolved American democracy into authoritarianism, with himself as the authoritarian. I address President Trump’s failure to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution by flouting constitutional law as well as the orders of federal courts, including the Supreme Court,” Green said in his announcement.

In the resolution itself, Green refers to specific actions, such as what he sees the Trump Administration flouting court decisions, as well as his calling for a judge to be impeached, and their removal of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia.

“I cannot, in good conscience, as a Member of Congress, having said what I have said, and knowing what I know — wait until the next election to deal with authoritarian President Donald John Trump’s pre-election threat to American democracy that has become a post-election assault on our government. The President has devolved American democracy into authoritarianism, with himself as the authoritarian.”

Earlier, Green had cited Trump’s call for a U.S. takeover of Gaza as the reason for an impeachment push.

The Impeach & Remove Digital Town Hall

On Tuesday, an email was sent for an online event called the “Impeach & Remove Digital Town Hall.” The hour-long event was hosted by Green, along with Free Speech For People and the Women’s March organization.

“In the time since his second inauguration, Trump has carried out an assault on the rule of law, on the checks and balances of power between our co-equal branches of government, and on the United States Constitution,” the invitation to the town hall said. “He has committed multiple abuses of power in violation of clear constitutional commands and at the expense of our democratic institutions, constitutional precedent, and the health and safety of all of our people, especially the most vulnerable. Congress must take action.”

The town hall included a Q&A period, in which someone asked Green and other panelists why impeachment would work this time, when Trump was already impeached twice and remains president now.

“Impeachment worked the last time,” Green said in the town hall. “We forget that [Trump] did not win the election. Impeachment played a role in the victory that Joe Biden brought to fruition. So, you may not get all that you want, but you will set the record straight, you will probably deter some additional actions, and you will let people know that the Constitution means something.”

What Now? Trump Has No Worries…for Now

It seems unlikely that Green’s impeachment push will move forward with any success. After all, the effort does not have the buy-in of Democratic leadership in the House, which stepped in when Thanedar pushed for a vote.

But even if the leadership did support the impeachment effort, it wouldn’t matter, because Democrats are not in the majority in the House, and wouldn’t have the votes to pass an impeachment resolution.

That calculus may change after the midterm elections, but even then, it seems highly unlikely that Democrats will earn a large enough Senate majority to have any hope of convicting and removing the president.

About the Author

Stephen Silver is an award-winning journalist, essayist and film critic, and contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. For over a decade, Stephen has authored thousands of articles that focus on politics, technology, and the economy. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @StephenSilver, and subscribe to his Substack newsletter.