House Democrats say incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., will have her hands full next year trying to keep her caucus from pursuing President Trump’s impeachment.
Democrats see a chance to hit Trump hard after his former lawyer Michael Cohen’s three-year sentence, and his claim that Trump directed payments to two women to keep them silent about alleged affairs. They think it will be difficult for Pelosi to keep them from pursuing an impeachment process in the House
“I am sympathetic to that,” said Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., on Pelosi’s plight. “Most of us would like to get on with the business at hand, but increasingly that becomes … part of the business at hand.”
“I would say that the fillings and court activities under the auspices of Robert Mueller have moved us into flashing red territory,” Connolly added.
When asked Thursday what the repercussions should be for the president if the allegations against him are true, the California Democrat told reporters Thursday she is less focused on the president’s situation than she is the Democratic agenda.
“Let me just say that it’s interesting that these allegations are coming from his own Justice Department. This is not Robert Mueller, this is about the Justice Department. We’ll see how they pursue it,” Pelosi said during her weekly press conference. “But from our standpoint, what we’re interested in is meeting the needs of America’s working families.”
Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., the incoming majority leader, told reporters this week that the position of leadership remains, and will remain, that any talk of impeachment is “premature” until the Mueller investigation is completed.
But that hasn’t stopped Democrats from beating the impeachment drums. Rep. Jerry Nadler, the New Yorker who will chair the House Judiciary Committee, said that the allegations of directed illegal payments by Trump to the women would constitute “impeachable offenses.” And others seem to agree it’s an option that should at least be discussed.
“We have to walk and chew gum at the same time,” said Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., of Pelosi’s situation. “On one hand, we have to serve as a check and balance on the Trump administration and, above all, protect the Mueller probe.
“On the other, we have to deliver on our promises we’ve made to working families,” Krishnamoorthi said. “We’re 435 solo practitioners on Capitol Hill, so every individual member is going to be able to express their opinions on this. I don’t necessarily think leadership wants to muffle anyone’s opinions.”
After the midterm elections, Trump indicated he will not work to pass legislation with Democrats if they launch expected investigations into his administration. Democrats believe this puts Pelosi in a tough spot as she hopes to please all comers in her party.
“It is a tightrope act for her and other leaders, and for all of us, frankly,” Connolly said. “It becomes even more of a high-wire act in light of these findings.”
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