Before House Articles of Impeachment Failed, Pelosi Said ‘Now Is Not the Time’ for Impeachment

Before the House rejected Rep. Al Green’s (D-TX) articles of impeachment on Wednesday, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) argued that “now is not the time to consider articles of impeachment” towards President Donald Trump.

Pelosi and Hoyer released a joint statement ahead of a floor vote on articles of impeachment sponsored by Rep. Al Green.

“Now is not the time to consider articles of impeachment,” the Democratic leaders charged.

Pelosi and House release joint statement on Al Green’s impeachment resolution: “now is not the time to consider articles of impeachment.” pic.twitter.com/1aSpneYlaa

— Lauren Gambino (@laurenegambino) December 6, 2017

The House vote on the articles of impeachment failed overwhelmingly, 364-58. Every Republican voted against the measure, while 58 Democrats voted for impeachment, and four Democrats voted present.

Congressman Green’s articles of impeachment did not allege a specific crime, but the Texas Democrat argues that Trump “brought disrepute, contempt, ridicule, and disgrace on the presidency.”

Green added that President Trump has “sown discord among the people of the United States.”

Green’s articles of impeachment claim that Trump stoked resentment amongst the American people by suggesting that both sides are to blame for the clash between white nationalists and Antifa in Charlottesville, VA; re-tweeting videos critical of Islam that originated from a British nationalist group; criticizing NFL players who knelt during the national anthem; allegedly giving poor treatment to hurricane victims in Puerto Rico compared to Florida and Texas; and attacking Congresswoman Frederica Wilson (D-FL), who serves as a member of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Pelosi and Hoyer argued in their joint statement that Congress should wait for Congressional investigations and the special counsel’s investigation to conclude.

The Democratic leaders said, “Right now, Congressional committees continue to be deeply engaged in investigations into the President’s actions both before and after his inauguration. The special counsel’s investigation is moving forward as well, and those inquiries should be allowed to continue.”