Mueller Report Divides Democrats Causing Internal Battle Over Trump Impeachment
On April 19, the Justice Department released a redacted version of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s final report. The much-anticipated document is being unpacked and analyzed by journalists, pundits, and politicians alike, with many drawing their own conclusions about Mueller’s findings.
Mueller has cleared Trump and members of his campaign of conspiracy with Russia, but refused to charge the president with obstruction or exonerate him of it. The latter appears to be splitting the Democratic Party, as party leaders argue against impeachment, while others call for it, according to a new report from Business Insider.
Top Democrats Adam Schiff and Steny Hoyer have both publicly pushed back against the notion of impeachment. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said that voters should decide whether Trump should stay in office or not — in 18 months time.
“Based on what we have seen to date, going forward on impeachment is not worthwhile at this point. Very frankly, there is an election in 18 months, and the American people will make a judgement,” he said.
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff argued against impeachment as well, claiming that the lack of “bipartisan consensus” makes such an effort futile to begin with.
“You don’t bring a case if you don’t think you’re going to be successful just to try the case,” Schiff, who has been one of the leading proponents of the Trump-Russia theory, said.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has long argued against impeachment, claiming that it would be too divisive for the country. Pelosi refused to comment on the issue following the release of Mueller’s report, according to MSN.
After Steny Hoyer and Adam Schiff both said impeachment wasn't worth pursuing, Nancy Pelosi refuses to comment on impeachment when directly asked about it https://t.co/hrU63FbzNq
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) April 19, 2019
“We’re not there not there now,” House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler said when asked about impeachment proceedings, suggesting that Attorney General William Barr had “misled” the country, according to Politico.
House progressives have openly suggested that Congress looks into impeaching the president. Representatives Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York both suggested that Congress has a “constitutional obligation” to investigate obstruction of justice by the president.
Basically the Mueller blame game was designed to let Democrats trick their die-hard supporters into not seeing Dem failure and cowardice. But by being such obvious failures and cowards after the Mueller report is out, they've given up the game.
— Matt Stoller (@matthewstoller) April 19, 2019
“While I understand the political reality of the Senate + election considerations, upon reading this DoJ report, which explicitly names Congress in determining obstruction, I cannot see a reason for us to abdicate from our constitutionally mandated responsibility to investigate,” Ocasio-Cortez said in a Twitter statement.
After reading the Mueller report, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren called on the House of Representatives to start impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump, according to CNN.
The severity of this misconduct demands that elected officials in both parties set aside political considerations and do their constitutional duty. That means the House should initiate impeachment proceedings against the President of the United States.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) April 19, 2019
As Business Insider notes, a number of Democratic lawmakers and strategists slammed party leaders for refusing to move forward with impeachment proceedings.
