House Democrat expected to introduce impeachment resolution

WASHINGTON — New House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been cautious about whether her Democratic majority would ever impeach President Donald Trump. But at least two of her members are ready to move forward.

California Rep. Brad Sherman and Texas Rep. Al Green introduced articles of impeachment against Trump on Thursday, the first day of the new Congress. The move revives an effort in the last Congress to remove Trump from office.

Sherman and Green pushed to impeach Trump in 2017 and 2018 but the House blocked those resolutions twice, with the help of Democrats who said the effort was premature. Pelosi hasn’t ruled out impeachment but has called it a “divisive activity” that needs support from both parties. She and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., have said they want to wait for the outcome of special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.

While the effort is symbolic, for now, it is an early sign for Pelosi that some in her party may be more eager. Sherman said in a statement that he hopes that the House Judiciary Committee holds hearings on the resolution after Republicans declined to consider it.

“I understand that a majority of our Democratic caucus will want to wait until special counsel Robert Mueller completes his report, which I would hope will be issued in the next two to three months,” Sherman said in a statement.

Also Thursday, House Judiciary Committee Democrats introduced legislation to protect Mueller from being fired. Trump has repeatedly criticized Mueller’s investigation.

The legislation is designed as a companion to a bipartisan bill that was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee in April. It would allow any special counsel who is removed from office to challenge his or her removal in court and would put into law existing regulations that a special counsel may only be removed for good cause.