House Democrats were quick to announce an impeachment inquiry against President Trump. But now that the process has started, they seem hesitant to follow through and open a formal inquiry.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said yesterday she won’t bring the inquiry to the House floor for a formal vote “at this time,” but she didn’t explain why. One congressional aide said the delay is in part due to political stubbornness. Trump and his allies have laid into Pelosi for breaking impeachment precedent and avoiding a formal floor vote. By holding such a vote now, House Democrats might give the impression that they are giving in to Trump’s demands.
A floor vote, of course, would force House Democrats to publicly take sides in the impeachment fight, which could expose Democrats on both flanks. Some would face primaries, others would suffer in a general election, and some would be cornered on both counts. Waiting to vote at least helps run down the clock on primary season, filing deadlines, and precious time for potential Democratic opponents to raise money and organize campaigns.
A floor vote would also force the Senate to weigh in on the impeachment debate sooner rather than later. Even if the House impeaches Trump, no one expects the Republican-controlled Senate to convict and remove him by the required two-thirds vote. By delaying a floor vote, Pelosi hopes to continue gathering evidence on Trump through hearings and investigations and perhaps persuade at least a few Senate Republicans that impeachment is indeed a matter of national security.
Pelosi’s strategy makes sense, but it also reveals how thoroughly political and unserious this entire business is. An immediate floor vote establishes certainty — something this inquiry currently lacks. If the House is confident Trump’s actions are impeachable, they should impeach him, as Congress did with President Andrew Johnson. Or they should at least vote to open the impeachment inquiry, as Congress did with Presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton. By refusing to do so, the Democrats have inadvertently shown how weak their case for impeachment is at this point.
Instead of taking responsibility for impeachment, Democratic members of Congress continue to repeat the same talking points they’ve been using since Trump entered the White House in 2016. They want the air time but not the consequences of an official vote.
As of right now, Pelosi thinks she has no reason to move forward with the impeachment inquiry. But the longer she waits, the more likely her plan will backfire.
