House Democrats passed a resolution Thursday to formalize the rules and proceedings regarding their impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump.
The House Democrats passed H. Res. 660 resolution 232-196, that would establish the rules and proceedings surrounding impeachment.
The vote featured two Democrats, most likely Reps. Van Drew (D-NJ) and Collin Peterson (D-MN), who voted against the resolution. No Republicans voted for the resolution, in a show of Republican support for the president and against the impeachment inquiry.
Rep. Justin Amash (I-MI) voted for the impeachment process resolution.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has insisted for weeks the House had no constitutional requirement to vote on a bill that would authorize an impeachment inquiry. However, she relented after facing criticism from the media and Republicans, who have argued the impeachment inquiry breaks with precedents such as the Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton impeachment inquiries.
The resolution has engendered criticism from some swing district House Democrats. Rep. Van Drew (D-NJ), a freshman Democrat, said that he would not vote the resolution because impeachment would “not be good Democrats of Republicans.”
Republicans and Democrats delivered passionate speeches before the House vote.
House Speaker Pelosi said “nobody” comes to Congress to impeach a president.
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) said the Democrats have pursued “Soviet-style rules” with their impeachment inquiry.
House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) chastised the House Democrats for focusing on investigating President Trump and his administration while doing little to pass substantial legislation.
McCarthy said that Congress has delivered “more subpoenas” than they have passed “laws.”
The California conservative said Democrats have pursued an agenda “devoid of solutions.”
Rep. McCarthy also said Democrats have moved towards impeaching Trump because “they’re scared they can’t beat him on the ballot box.”
- The resolution gives authority to the House Intelligence Committee that it has never had before.
- The resolution does not provide the Republican minority equal subpoena power.
- The resolution dilutes minority powers over the release of Intelligence Committee transcripts.
- The resolution does not compel the release of past testimony.
- The resolution restricts the president’s right to be represented.
Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ), a House Freedom Caucus member, said this “resolution for a sham impeachment process is a farce.”
Sean Moran is a congressional reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.