Nancy Pelosi is reportedly worried the public doesn't understand how impeachment works


House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) believes the public could use a refresher on impeachment.
Pelosi, who is under growing pressure from Democrats to begin impeachment proceedings against President Trump, in a meeting with Democrats on Tuesday "expressed concerns that the public still doesn’t understand how the process of impeachment would play out," The Daily Beast reports.
In particular, Pelosi reportedly said that even "well educated voters" she spoke to in California during Congress' recess appeared not to get that launching impeachment proceedings against Trump wouldn't necessarily mean he'd be removed from office immediately.
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Indeed, the House of Representatives could open an impeachment inquiry that would result in an investigation but might not actually lead to articles of impeachment being passed. And even if the House were to pass articles of impeachment, it would fall on the Senate, where Republicans have the majority, to try the president and remove him from office, and there's no sign of any widespread Republican support for doing so. This is part of the reason Pelosi has continually resisted impeachment calls.
Still, the Daily Beast report mentions that "even within Pelosi's own leadership ranks there have been murmurs of a desire to give impeachment proceedings a more sympathetic reception publicly," as pro-impeachment Democrats look to ratchet up the pressure.
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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
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