3 minPolitics
House sends Hegseth impeachment resolution to committee, effectively halting it for now
The House voted 211-204 to refer a resolution to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to the Judiciary Committee, a move that effectively halts the push. The vote came as House and Senate Republicans chose new leaders.
The House voted 211-204 to refer a resolution to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to the Judiciary Committee, a procedural step that effectively stalls the impeachment effort for now. The outcome leaves the matter in committee, and Democrats could revive the push when they return in January.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., filed the privileged resolution, which required the House to act on it. The measure contains eight articles against Hegseth. They cover the war with Iran, U.S. strikes on drug boats in the Caribbean, and retaliation against Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz. Kelly faced that retaliation after releasing a video urging troops to disobey unlawful orders. Each of these points formed the basis of the articles that Massie placed before the chamber.
The vote split largely along party lines. All Democrats present backed moving forward with impeachment, while every Republican except Massie voted to kill the resolution. Some Republicans had worried that weak attendance could allow the measure to pass. Those concerns arose the previous week, when the party suffered midterm losses and attendance problems. The timing made the vote a sensitive test of the party's control of the floor.
Several Republicans who opposed the resolution explained their positions. Rep. Jake Ellzey, R-Texas, called the effort a waste of time. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., said he was critical of Hegseth but opposed the articles. Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, criticized what he described as scapegoating Hegseth for decisions that were made by the president. Their objections show a divide within the GOP between those who have questioned the defense secretary's conduct and those who would not support removing him.
Hegseth dismissed the push as a political spectacle driven by ego. President Trump praised Hegseth on social media and called Massie a loser, adding a personal dimension to a dispute already centered on the administration's military actions. Massie's decision to force the vote came as he broke with his party on the issue, and the president's response underscored the strain between the two.
The vote also coincided with a leadership shift in both chambers. Speaker Mike Johnson is leaving his post, and Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio was picked as the next House Republican leader. In the Senate, Republicans re-elected John Thune as their leader. The changes come at a time when the party is reassessing its direction after the midterm setbacks, and the impeachment vote unfolded alongside those internal decisions.
Source: pbs.org
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