WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Republicans voted to kill an impeachment resolution against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth by sending it to the Judiciary Committee. The outgoing Republican representative who spearheaded the effort to impeach the Secretary claims Hegseth violated the war powers resolution, among several other charges. If the motion is successful in the House, the Senate could hold an impeachment trial.
On Monday, the first day back in Washington following the midterm elections. Republican Representative Thomas Massie (R- KY) filed articles of impeachment against the Secretary, accusing him of violating the war powers resolution, ignoring laws that minimize civilian casualties, extrajudicial killings, kidnapping a sovereign foreign leader and suppressing free speech.
“He’s broken laws and he’s violated the Constitution,” Rep. Massie said on Monday.
On Tuesday, Sec. Hegseth fired back at Representative Massie.
“It’s a farce, and it’s a stunt, and everybody knows it,” said the Secretary. “In the 250 years of our American republic, no Secretary of War or Secretary of Defense has ever been impeached for carrying out lawful military operations, and in our case, successful ones at that. I stand behind every one of these operations, I was proud to execute them, and I would do it again tomorrow.”
Democrats for the most part, seem supportive of the impeachment effort.
“I’m deeply disappointed in Secretary Hegseth’s leadership,” said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D- NY). “He’s hollowed out the military; he’s hollowed out the people who were put in charge to keep guardrails on what the military does.” She adds that if the measure moves to the Senate she will look at the evidence. “But I can tell you I’ve called on him to resign many times and I did not vote for his confirmation.”
Republicans we spoke with said they have other items and issues they should focus on for the remainder of this congress.
“I think everybody knew that this was gonna come and I thought when we were running and getting ready if the Dems were in the majority it was going to be impeachment after impeachment after impeachment,” said Rep. Mike Kelly (R- PA). “I think it starts with Pete and it’s going to keep on going and going and distraction from what we need to do and we need to do legislation right now. We’re living in a very dangerous world and if anybody is just looking just at the Republicans and Democrats and not what’s happening with the rest of the world, we’re in deep, deep trouble.”
“We have so much work that we have to do and quite frankly I think it’s ridiculous that we have a 55 day lame duck session and this is what we’re wasting our time on,” said Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R- PA). We asked if he thinks Hegseth is the right fit for the job: “He is according to the President of the United States and he’s implementing the President’s directives and he’s doing his job.”
