The Democrats' impeachment push may rest on this one House vote

Democrats are set to vote Wednesday on who should serve as the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, a decision expedited after the former ranking member, Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), abruptly stepped down following sexual harassment allegations. The vote could be hugely consequential if the Democrats beat the odds in 2018 and take back the House, as the leader of the Judiciary Committee "historically holds the keys to the impeachment process," Politico writes.

Wednesday's vote comes down to two longtime Judiciary Committee members: Reps. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) and Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.). Although Lofgren denies either she or Nadler is "running as an impeachment candidate," she notably has experience in the matter, having been involved in impeachment proceedings against President Richard Nixon and investigating President Bill Clinton.

Nadler, like Lofgren, said he would approach a potential impeachment with an abundance of caution — and Republican support. "There's not much point in impeaching a president and having him acquitted in the Senate as happened with Clinton," he told Politico. He added that while some Democrats are considering impeachment, his immediate concern is how Trump reacts to the investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. "I think I'd be better at the helm of the Judiciary Committee, in terms of forcefulness, in terms of constitutional issues," he explained.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Read more about the candidates and how they would approach a potential Trump impeachment at Politico.