Amid growing controversy around Russian meddling in the US election, Rep. Brad Sherman, a California Democrat pushed for President Donald Trump impeachment. Sherman filed an article of impeachment against President Donald Trump on Wednesday. Sherman alleges President Trump committed obstruction of justice by firing former FBI Director James Comey whose team was investigating into Russian meddling in the US election. “Such conduct, warrants impeachment and trial, and removal from office,” Sherman wrote in an article.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Sherman’s resolution was “utterly and completely ridiculous” and “a political game at its worst.” According to Time, Sherman’s effort has little chance of success in the Republican-led House. Sherman doesn’t even have the backing of many fellow Democrats.
Democratic leaders have distanced themselves from the efforts to impeach Trump, believing it serves only to energize the president’s supporters. Sherman’s resolution has one co-sponsor, fellow Democrat Al Green of Texas, reported news daily.
I have introduced H.Res. 438 Articles of #Impeachment of Donald J. Trump for Obstruction of Justice. Statement here: https://t.co/0gKr8ZFg3c pic.twitter.com/yUTDAnPFuJ
— Rep. Brad Sherman (@BradSherman) July 12, 2017
The Constitution allows impeachment in the case of “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanours”. Obstruction of justice is a felony offence. To take effect, however, articles of impeachment must pass the House by a majority vote – an unlikely outcome in today’s Republican-controlled chamber. So far, only one other Democrat – Texas Representative Al Green – has publicly expressed support for impeachment proceedings, reported Independent.
According to Independent, When Sherman started circulating a draft article last month, fellow Democratic Representative Michael Capuano reportedly stood up at a party meeting and denounced him as selfish.
Sherman filed the article a day after the president’s son, Donald Trump Jr., acknowledged that he met with a Russian lawyer during the campaign. An intermediary for the lawyer promised damaging information from the Russian government about Democrat Hillary Clinton.
Discussed #Trump Jr.'s pre-election meeting with a #Russia lawyer on @CNNnewsroom w/ @JohnBerman & @PoppyHarlowCNN. https://t.co/14IuGUxK55
— Rep. Brad Sherman (@BradSherman) July 10, 2017
Trump Jr. said he received no information about Clinton at the meeting. The president has questioned his own intelligence agencies and whether the Russians actually interfered in the election. However, federal authorities say they have definitive evidence that the Kremlin meddled in the U.S. presidential election.
