The House Will Vote To Consider Articles Of Impeachment, So Buckle Up
Well everyone, this week has certainly been a wild ride. Since July 14, President Donald Trump has been under fire from fellow politicians over controversial comments he made towards several Democratic congresswomen of color. Well, the stakes have gotten even higher, because the House's vote on articles of impeachment against Trump could make or break the president. Buckle up, everyone.
On Wednesday, July 17, Politico reported that the House of Representatives will vote on the afternoon of July 17 on whether to consider articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump. Articles of impeachment are the first step towards removing a president from office and disqualifying them from running for future positions. Should the House vote to consider them, and then vote to pass them, the impeachment process would then move to the Senate, which would hold an impeachment trial. The White House did not immediately respond to Elite Daily's request for comment on the impending vote.
This vote marks the House's first major action regarding the possibility of impeaching the president. The articles of impeachment vote was introduced by Rep. Al Green of Texas, but according to Politico, it's unlikely to succeed. The motion needs two-thirds of the vote in order to pass.
"It is time for us to send the president a clear message that he is not above the law," Green said on the House floor on the morning of July 17, per Politico.
Despite calls from several Democrats to remove the president from office, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has pushed back against their efforts. When asked by reporters on July 17 whether she would support Green's motion, Pelosi said she would not vote in favor.
According to Green, the vote was introduced following Trump's controversial remarks about four Democratic congresswomen of color. On July 14, the president took to Twitter to say that "progressive" Democratic congresswomen should "go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came." Trump did not expressly name the women, but later referred to "The Squad," the nickname for Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, and Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts. All four are U.S. citizens, and have been extremely vocal about their opposition to Trump administration policies.
On Tuesday, July 16 the House passed a resolution that condemned Trump's "go back" statements, with 235 Democrats and four Republicans voting in favor. Despite the resolution passing, CNN reported on July 17 that there will be no actual penalties for Trump following the vote. However, judging by Green's recent move, the president has other matters to worry about.
This isn't the first time Greene has made moves to impeach President Trump. In 2017 and 2018, the Texas representative also attempted to advance votes on articles of impeachment against Trump in the previously Republican-held House of Representatives. Although they did not end up passing, Politico states that the measures earned 60 votes from Democrats at the time. So, now that Democrats hold the House, there's a good chance Greene could have even more support.
The United States political climate is heating up by the second. As Trump's comments continue to be criticized by Democratic and GOP politicians alike, this vote could seriously shake up the president's time in office. In the meantime, we'll just have to sit back, relax, and watch the show.
