Al Green: Democrats Won’t Check Polls on Impeachment, Just Like Rosa Parks

Appearing Monday on MSNBC’s All In with Chris Hayes, pro-impeachment Rep. Al Green (D-TX) invoked civil rights activist Rosa Parks in arguing for Congress to remove President Donald Trump from office.

A partial transcript is as follows: 

CHRIS HAYES: Congressman, what do you make of both this [Trump-Zelensky matter] and whether it constitutes high-crimes and misdemeanors, and the statements of your Democratic colleagues in the wake of it.

REP. AL GREEN: This is an important story. It could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back for a number of people who haven’t come on board. But, as you know, a good many people have already decided we should move in the direction of impeachment. It’s my belief we’re seeing a re-run of what’s happening with Mr. Comey. If you will recall with Mr. Comey, the president fired him, the president went on television and said he was thinking about that Russia thing at the time he fired Mr. Comey. This is nothing new in the sense that the president does this quite regularly, he’s done it with other things and he will continue to do it.

With reference to my colleagues, we’re at the crossroads of accountability. Either we will hold the president accountable or we will be held accountable. There are people who literally believe now that we are aiding and abetting the president. Not in the legal sense, but in our inactions have allowed him to continue his accounts, his invidious actions, if I might add. The public expects something from Congress, given the circumstance. And for those who say that you have to wait on the public, I am so pleased that Rosa Parks didn’t take a poll. She wouldn’t have taken that seat on that bus.