Some Democrats fume as Kristi Noem impeachment gains steam
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Kristi Noem at a roundtable discussion with ranchers and Customs and Border Patrol agents in Brownsville, Texas, on Jan. 7. Photo: Michael Gonzalez/Getty Images
Articles of impeachment targeting Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem are garnering support from House Democrats at a rapid clip. Not all the party's lawmakers are happy about it.
Why it matters: This is by far the most credible impeachment effort of President Trump's second term thus far, but some centrists continue to argue impeachment is a waste of the party's time and energy.
- "One of the things I dislike about D.C. a lot is the number of messaging items ... People introduce bills that have no hope of any consequential change in peoples' lives," Rep. Adam Gray (D-Calif.) told Axios.
- Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.) said it is "quite possible that impeachment could be a distraction."
The other side: Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.), who is leading the effort, pushed back on the notion that affordability and impeachment are mutually exclusive during a brief interview at the Capitol.
- "Affordability and health care is the thing ... I totally agree with that. But I don't think this is the distraction," she said.
- The Illinois Democrat added that fears about ICE "feed into the affordability and health care issues, quite frankly ... restaurants aren't as busy, people can't do their jobs because they're snatching them off the streets."
- Kelly also noted that "all kinds of people are on the bill," including swing-district members and centrists like Reps. Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) and Angie Craig (D-Minn.).
State of play: Kelly formally introduced three articles of impeachment against Noem on Wednesday, which accuse the DHS secretary of obstructing Congress, constitutional violations and corruption.
- DHS has repeatedly dismissed the impeachment effort as "silly" and argued that Kelly, who is running in a contested Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, should focus on issues in her district.
- As of Wednesday morning, 70 House Democrats — around a third of the House Democratic caucus — had signed onto Kelly's articles.
- That number is set to grow further, with several Democrats telling Axios on Wednesday that they plan to co-sponsor the articles.
Reality check: Kelly can force a House vote on impeaching Noem, but Republicans hold the majority in the lower chamber and would likely be able to quash her motion with relative ease.
- They may even have Democratic help: Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) has previously told Axios he opposes impeaching Noem.
- Even if it passed the House, the measure would be dead on arrival in the Senate, where a two-thirds majority is needed to remove an impeached official.
- That dynamic — and the fact that Trump was impeached twice but faced minimal political fallout — has led many Democrats to reflexively dismiss even whispers about impeachment over the last year.
What they're saying: "We've got so many things that the Congress has yet to do ... and I'd hate to see us get distracted with side issues," Bishop told Axios.
- Said Gray: "Let's stay focused on affordability. Let's stay focused on actionable steps that can be taken to help people."
- Rep. Don Davis (D-N.C.) told Axios: "Obviously, we have an obligation to make sure that we're upholding immigration policy. Am I necessarily pleased at the way it's being implemented? No. But I would still need to figure out what rises, exactly, to the level of impeachment."
- "It would ... be more symbolic," Davis added, noting that impeachment would almost certainly fail in the Senate: "I'm not sure I see the support there."
What we're hearing: Granted anonymity to offer candid thoughts on the matter, several centrist lawmakers went much further in criticizing the Noem impeachment push.
- One House Democrat told Axios: "There's a frustration with all these impeachments. Now, Noem is just soup du jour. So ... yes, there is a general frustration with us."
- "It's all performative bullsh*t," the lawmaker added. "And I think at some point people want to focus on affordability and not performative bullsh*t."
- "My thought on this is that I'm absolutely not doing this. It's stupid," another told Axios, expressing shock that so many of their colleagues signed on and adding that "affordability is the issue."
What to watch: It is not yet clear whether Kelly will force a vote, but at least one of her colleagues has beseeched her not to.
- In a closed-door Democratic leadership meeting Monday, Rep. Susie Lee (D-Nev.) argued that an impeachment vote would hurt the swing-district members she represents as battleground chair, Axios previously reported.
- House Democratic caucus chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) suggested that leadership is coordinating with Kelly on her next steps, telling Axios that members are "reacting to concern that they hear in their districts about ICE being unchecked and unaccountable."
- House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), asked Wednesday if he plans to take a position on impeaching Noem, told Axios: "Stay tuned."
