Scoop: Trump impeachment called "idiotic" in House Dem meeting
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Rep. Jerry Nadler and then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 15, 2020. Photo: OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images
A rogue Trump impeachment push was criticized as "idiotic" and "horrible" in a closed-door House Democratic meeting Wednesday, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The comments from Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) were met with applause from lawmakers and backed up by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), according to six sources familiar with the matter.
- Nadler, the former top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, called Rep. Shri Thanedar's (D-Mich.) efforts "idiotic" and urged Democrats to vote for a Republican motion to kill his articles of impeachment.
- House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) said at the meeting that Democratic leadership will vote for the GOP motion.
State of play: The House is set to vote Wednesday evening on Republicans' motion to "table" Thanedar's seven articles of impeachment — which accuse the president of corruption, abuse of power and "tyranny."
- Thanedar has ruffled feathers with his impeachment efforts, which many lawmakers believe is tied to his contested Democratic primary — a suggestion he denies.
- Nadler was among the four lawmakers who were briefly listed as co-sponsors on the measure before withdrawing.
- Sources previously told Axios that Thanedar wrongly led colleagues to believe leadership was supporting his efforts and added them as co-sponsors without notifying their staffs.
What we're hearing: Nadler argued that all Democrats should vote to table the articles of impeachment, according to multiple lawmakers and aides who were in the room.
- He said that unity against the measure would help protect House Democrats who are politically vulnerable — either to primary challengers who say they need to do more to fight Trump, or general election opponents who would use a vote for impeachment against them.
- "People's sense is that it's a total distraction and waste of time given [that there is] no path to victory," a senior House Democrat who was in the room told Axios.
The other side: Thanedar said in a statement to Axios, "I'm pursuing impeachment because the president has committed clear, impeachable crimes."
- "I've heard from my constituents and people around the nation that they want this President held accountable and that's what I am doing," he added.
Zoom in: Pelosi, who as speaker oversaw Democrats' two impeachments against President Trump in his first term, echoed Nadler's criticism but did not explicitly urge Democrats to vote to table, sources said.
- She said that, in the past, the party has always adopted a measured strategy when it comes to impeachment in order to avoid the appearance it being a purely political.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.
