Trump impeachment effort pulled moments before House vote

WASHINGTON — A long-shot effort by Democratic Rep. Shri Thanedar to force an impeachment vote against President Donald Trump was abruptly pulled Wednesday evening after a group of Democrats signaled they would vote with Republicans to block the move.

Moments before a planned vote on a motion to table Thanedar’s impeachment resolution — a procedure that would have effectively killed it for the time being — the Michigan Democrat reversed course and opted not to call up the resolution for floor consideration.

“After talking with many colleagues, I have decided not to force a vote on impeachment today, “ he wrote on social media while accusing Trump of committing “more impeachable offenses” since he introduced his seven articles of impeachment.

But Thanedar left open the possibility of forcing a vote on a new resolution at a later date.

“Instead, I will add to my articles of impeachment and continue to rally the support of both Democrats and Republicans to defend the Constitution with me,” he said.

Several House Democrats, including North Carolina Rep. Deborah K. Ross, could be seen shaking Thanedar’s hand on the House floor after his reversal.

The 29-page impeachment resolution accuses the president of a host of impeachable offenses, including obstruction of justice, violating due process protections, abuse of power, bribery and corruption and tyranny.

Thanedar, who is currently in his second term representing Michigan’s 13th District, took to the House floor Tuesday afternoon to give notice of his intention to bring the articles of impeachment as a privileged resolution, a move that under House rules forced the chamber to vote on the measure within two legislative days. He held the floor for nearly an hour to read aloud the full text of the resolution.

But his efforts did not appear to have the support of House Democratic leaders. CNN reported Wednesday that Thanedar’s move “blindsided” party leadership and his colleagues after he had previously signaled that he would not offer his articles of impeachment against Trump.

And several lawmakers who had originally signed on to the resolution later withdrew as co-sponsors.

As reported by Axios, some of Thanedar’s colleagues have called his impeachment push a futile one given GOP control of both chambers, while others worried that impeachment was a distraction from the party’s messaging this week against Republicans’ massive budget reconciliation bill.

Despite the pushback, Thanedar was defiant heading into Wednesday as he defended his resolution while addressing reporters outside the Capitol.

“I’ve heard it loud and clear. People see this president has conducted impeachable misconduct,” he said. “The honor of serving in the U.S. Congress is that we make tough decisions … and we cannot shy away from that.”

Democrats brought two impeachment inquiries against Trump during his first stint in the White House — in 2019, over alleged abuses of power and obstruction of Congress, and in 2021, after Democrats accused him of inciting an insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6. While the Democratic-controlled House voted to impeach Trump in both instances, neither inquiry resulted in a conviction in the Senate, which requires a two-thirds majority vote.

This time around, Trump has suggested that House Republicans consider expelling members who file articles of impeachment against him.

“These Radical Left Lunatics are into the ‘Impeachment thing’ again,” he wrote on social media two days after Thanedar introduced his impeachment articles in the House. “Perhaps we should start playing this game on them, and expel Democrats for the many crimes that they have committed.”

Troubled timing

Critics have accused Thanedar of introducing his impeachment resolution with an eye on his 2026 reelection campaign in his safely blue Detroit-area district. Several billboards advertising the impeachment effort and paid for by Thanedar’s congressional office have already gone up in his district.

Thanedar was first elected to the House in 2022 after prevailing in a crowded Democratic primary with 28% of the vote; he won renomination two years later with an underwhelming 55% of the primary vote.

Thanedar has already drawn two primary challengers for 2026 as he seeks a third term. Former state Sen. Adam Hollier, who finished second to Thanedar in the 2022 primary and then was disqualified from the ballot two years later, entered the race last month.

And in late April, state Rep. Donavan McKinney launched a challenge to Thanedar on the same day the congressman formally introduced his impeachment resolution. McKinney has the support of progressive group Justice Democrats, as well as Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib of the neighboring 12th District.

“I’m proud to support my friend Donavan McKinney for Congress for the Mighty 13th. I need a real partner in Congress who will join me in the fight for our Wayne County communities,” Tlaib said Monday on social media.

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(Daniel Hillburn contributed to this report.)

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