Democratic congressman files articles of impeachment against Trump

After the House of Representatives passed a resolution Tuesday condemning President Trump's "racist comments" against four Democratic congresswomen, Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) filed articles of impeachment against the president.

Trump tweeted at the lawmakers — all women of color — to "go back" to their home countries. In his resolution, Green wrote that "Trump has, by his statements, brought the high office of the president of the United States in contempt, ridicule, disgrace, and disrepute, has sown discord among the people of the United States, has demonstrated that he is unfit to be president, and has betrayed his trust as president of the United States to the manifest injury of the people of the United States, and has committed a high misdemeanor in office."

Green told Democratic leaders earlier in the day what he planned on doing, The Washington Post reports, and they now have three choices: let the vote proceed, attempt to table the impeachment articles, or refer them to the House Judiciary Committee. Under House rules, Green can force a vote in two legislative days. More than 80 members of the House of Representatives have said they want to launch an impeachment inquiry.

Subscribe to 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

Democrats are divided on what to do about impeachment, with some all for it and others — especially those who represent districts won by Trump in 2016 — wary. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has said she would rather the American people vote Trump out next year, and while Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) supports impeachment, he told the Post, "We're trying to keep the caucus together as we respond to the most lawless administration of our lifetimes. I'm enough of a political pragmatist to believe that you call votes when you think you can win them, not when you think you can lose them."