Democrat Rep. Al Green: When We Get Back The House, We’ll Start Impeachment Proceedings

Democrat Rep. Al Green (D-TX) had harsh words for President Trump late Tuesday, warning that if Democrats retake the House of Representatives in November, they’ll begin the 2019 legislative session with articles of impeachment, even if Trump hasn’t done anything to require it.

Speaking to C-Span, Rep. Green suggested that he has the “right and privilege” to impeach the president, even absent evidence that the president has committed “high crimes” or “misdemeanors” by virtue of the U.S. Constitution.

“There’s a good likelihood there will be articles of impeachment” brought against the President, Rep. Green said. “Here is a point that I think is salient, and one that ought to be referenced. Every member of the House is accorded the opportunity to bring up impeachment. This is not something the Constitution has bestowed upon leadership. It’s something every member has the right and privilege of doing.”

Green eventually admitted that minority leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is of a different mind on the issue; the former Speaker of the House was clear earlier this month that she had no desire to bring articles of impeachment to the House floor absent good cause.

In fact, Green is in the minority; Democrats have been extremely hesitant to mention even the word “impeachment” in polite company, even if their progressive base wants to see Trump booted from office as quickly as possible.

Impeachment isn’t popular among mainline Democrats, and if the threshold for removing Trump from office is not met, Democrats will suffer a major political defeat, putting them at a disadvantage in 2020, where they have an opportunity to disrupt the Trump Administration before it earns a second term.