So much for tackling “affordability” and the other issues voters told Democrats they really cared about when they handed them a near-historic blue wave last Tuesday.
No, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is more interested in pleasing the Democrat Party’s lunatic base.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced Sunday that he strongly supports impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as lawmakers prepare to return to Washington.
Jeffries, who is positioned to become House speaker when Democrats take control in January, said he is a “hard yes” on an impeachment resolution targeting Hegseth.
The immediate effort is being led not by Democrats, but by outgoing Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky.
Massie plans to introduce a privileged impeachment resolution as early as Monday, potentially forcing the Republican-controlled House to confront the issue before Democrats assume power.
“I’m a hard yes on the Hegseth resolution,” Jeffries told ABC News’ Jonathan Karl on “This Week.”
“The so-called secretary of defense has abused his power, undermined our national security, and engineered this reckless and costly war of choice in Iran, which has skyrocketed prices on the American people and made the country less safe,” Jeffries said.
“Pete Hegseth has got to go.”
Massie’s resolution contains eight articles of impeachment and accuses Hegseth of offenses involving the Iran war and other military operations.
Among the allegations is that Hegseth violated the War Powers Resolution by continuing military operations in Iran without sufficient congressional authorization.
The resolution also raises allegations involving civilian protections, military operations in Yemen and the seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Those remain allegations advanced by Massie and Hegseth’s critics.
Hegseth and the Pentagon have strongly rejected accusations that he acted unlawfully.
Jeffries said House Democrats will discuss the resolution Tuesday morning when members return to Washington for the first time since the midterm elections.
Asked whether he expects the entire Democratic caucus to support impeachment, Jeffries stopped short of guaranteeing unanimity.
“But I believe there will be incredibly strong support for that resolution,” Jeffries said.
His comments represented a significant shift from his position only two days earlier.
During a Friday interview with NPR, Jeffries repeatedly called for Hegseth’s removal but declined to commit to impeachment before consulting his caucus.
“We’ll have that conversation,” Jeffries said Friday.
“I don’t want to get out ahead of the caucus.”
“He’s got to go,” he added.
By Sunday, Jeffries had publicly committed to voting for Massie’s resolution.
Massie’s use of a privileged resolution could force House leaders to address the impeachment effort quickly.
Under House procedures governing questions of privilege, leadership generally must act within two legislative days.
Republicans retain control of the House through the end of the current Congress, meaning Democrats cannot pass the resolution on their own during the lame-duck session.
However, several Republicans have expressed frustration with Hegseth following Tuesday’s election losses and the continuing war with Iran.
Axios reported Republican leaders are preparing for the possibility that some GOP lawmakers could join Democrats in supporting impeachment.
Retiring Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska said Hegseth does not have “a lot of love” on Capitol Hill, although Bacon has not committed to supporting impeachment.
President Donald Trump, meanwhile, continues to publicly defend his defense secretary.
Asked last week whether Hegseth would remain in his administration, Trump said he had “every intention to keep him.”
Trump also said Hegseth has “done a fantastic job.”
Hegseth has launched his own public defense against Massie and Democrats.
“A disgruntled, defeated congressman, along with all his Democrat allies, has also dropped sham articles of impeachment against yours truly, just like they tried against President Trump twice,” Hegseth said Thursday.
“It’s all about the politics of personal destruction — didn’t work against President Trump, and it won’t work with me.”
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell similarly accused Hegseth’s opponents of pursuing “phony investigations where no wrongdoing exists.”
The Department of Defense maintains that its military operations have complied with the law.
The political stakes could change substantially in January. Democrats won control of both chambers in Tuesday’s midterm elections and will gain subpoena and investigative authority when the new Congress convenes.
Jeffries has already promised investigations into Trump administration officials and said Democrats intend to “visit accountability on the wrongdoers.”
Even if the House eventually impeaches Hegseth, impeachment alone would not remove him.
The Senate would conduct a trial, and conviction requires a two-thirds vote of senators present.
For now, however, the first test could arrive within days as Massie attempts to force the Republican-controlled House to decide Hegseth’s fate before Democrats take power.
