It looks like the latest stab at impeaching President Donald Trump has fizzled out faster than a progressive policy at a MAGA rally.
On Thursday, a bold but solitary push by Rep. Al Green (D-TX) to force a vote on impeaching Trump was decisively shut down, with 23 Democrats crossing the aisle to join Republicans in tabling the measure by a vote of 237 to 140, while 47 Democrats, including party heavyweights, opted to sit it out with a "present" vote, as Fox News reports.
This saga kicked off Wednesday night when Green, a persistent thorn in Trump’s side, invoked a privileged resolution to bring two articles of impeachment to the floor, demanding action within two legislative days.
Republicans weren’t having it, swiftly moving to table the resolution on Thursday, effectively burying any chance of debate on the charges.
Green, who’s made a habit of filing impeachment articles against Trump multiple times over the past year, didn’t just face GOP opposition -- nearly two dozen of his own party, including Reps. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) and Jared Golden (D-ME) voted to kill the measure.
Even the Democratic Party's leadership trio -- House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA), and Caucus chairman Pete Aguilar (D-CA) -- chose to vote "present," signaling a clear lack of appetite for this symbolic gesture.
Green’s latest impeachment bid wasn’t light on accusations, charging Trump with abuse of power on two counts that are sure to raise eyebrows.
The first count claims Trump called for the "execution" of six congressional Democrats over a controversial video urging military members to defy illegal federal orders, a move that sparked an FBI inquiry and outrage on the right.
The second alleges Trump has fueled a dangerous climate of threats and political violence, targeting lawmakers and federal judges with harsh rhetoric that risks their safety and undermines judicial independence.
While these charges sound serious, the vast majority of Democrats seem more interested in avoiding a political circus than staging one, especially when the GOP-controlled Senate would likely toss any impeachment effort out the window.
Jeffries and his leadership team made their stance crystal clear in a joint statement: "Impeachment is a sacred constitutional vehicle designed to hold a corrupt executive accountable for abuse of power, breaking the law and violating the public trust."
"None of that serious work has been done, with the Republican majority focused solely on rubber stamping Donald Trump’s extreme agenda," they continued, justifying their "present" votes while claiming to prioritize affordability for everyday Americans. Nice dodge, but it’s hard to ignore how this sidestep leaves Green swinging in the wind while leadership plays it safe.
Green’s track record doesn’t exactly scream "team player" -- earlier this year, he was ejected from Trump’s joint address to Congress for repeatedly interrupting the speech, a stunt that likely didn’t win him many allies on either side of the aisle.
Still, you have to give the man credit for tenacity, even if his solo crusades seem more like shouting into the void than building a coalition.
If nothing else, Green’s persistence highlights a deeper frustration with Trump’s style, though it’s clear his party isn’t ready to back this fight -- yet.
