Democratic disarray: Impeachment debate sidelined by party divide
WASHINGTON — As Democrats struggle to unite following a failed impeachment resolution, some in the downtrodden party remain hopeful about an upcoming war resolution to restrict the president’s military power. Or so they hope.
Rep. Al Green (D-TX) introduced impeachment articles against the President — something he did in Trump’s first administration as well. The articles were supported by the more progressive characters of the party including the likes of Rep. Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who wrote on X that Trump’s actions in Iran are “absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.”
While the impeachment resolution was ultimately tabled as 128 House Democrats voted to join Republicans in killing the measure, the daring resolution did manage to accrue stringent support among the more moderate members of the party.
Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-MD) voted to keep the resolution on the floor, arguing that “by tabling the amendment, we lost the opportunity to debate the underlying issue.”
“I don’t know that… [Trump] has committed an impeachable offense, but I think we should at least have a chance to debate that, and the war powers issue,” Ivey said.
Ivey saw the impeachment resolution as an opportunity to investigate the president’s conduct in Iran with regard to the War Powers Act, which requires the president to brief Congress within 48 hours of military operations abroad – something Trump did not do.
Not all Democrats see utility in the impeachment resolution, however. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), said that “if people want to do that I think it’s a fool's errand.”
Instead, DeLauro thinks Democrats should focus on lawmaking — not impeachment.
“Nothing is gonna happen here and nothing will happen in the senate. Here, I want to govern, I want to get through appropriations bills, I want to make sure what we’re doing is providing the services that we need… for the American people,” DeLauro said.
Despite the Democratic impeachment divide, the party seems uniquely united around a war powers resolution to prohibit further military action in Iran.
In a bi-partisan measure introduced by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA), lawmakers are making the push to assert congressional authority over any given American president’s ability to declare war.
Ivey initially supported the progressive impeachment effort to debate Trump’s war in Iran, and whether the president really could be impeached for it. Naturally, the Trump-critical representative supported Khanna and Massie’s new war measure.
“Are you in support of the upcoming War Powers Resolution?” Capturing Progress pressed.
“Probably, ya,” said Ivey. “It looks, on its face, pretty good.”
DeLauro is staunchly in support of the bipartisan measure – a stark contrast to her opposition to the failed impeachment resolution she helped table, saying that “the war powers resolution is an important piece of information on national security.”
As the Senate still scrambles to pass Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ a similar war powers resolution introduced by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) lays pending, spelling an unsure, but potential path for Congress taking back its authority over matters of war from the executive branch.