Dem lawmaker to her party: 'Take action' on impeachment by September or 'shut it down'

[brooklynite]

Source: CNN

California Democrat Rep. Jackie Speier said Thursday if Democrats don't "take action" on impeachment by September 1, "we should just shut it down."

Speier, a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said she feels "strongly" Democrats should launch impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump. But, she told CNN's Jake Tapper on "The Lead" that "we're running out of time."

Come September 1, Speier said, if Democrats decide against opening an inquiry, "I think we need to shut it down, because frankly none of the other work we're doing is getting any traction whatsoever."

The congresswoman's comments come on the heels of Robert Mueller's highly-anticipated Wednesday testimony before Congress, in which the former special counsel confirmed his extensive report on Russian interference in the 2016 election did not clear Trump of obstruction of justice.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/25/politics/jackie-speier-take-action-impeachment-shut-it-down-cnntv/index.html

[Dawson Leery]

1. kick

[BigmanPigman]

2. How about canceling Aug Recess!?!

[JoeOtterbein]

4. + 1 and...

...working on impeachment!

[larwdem]

6. agree

I can't believe are Dems are going on vacation for over a month!

[BigmanPigman]

7. It's not like this is an important, time sensitive matter...

[DeminPennswoods]

21. Nadler said last night on Hardball that Congress

can still work during the Aug recess.

[mpcamb]

22. Biggest threat: fixed elections. Hold the budget hostage till the Senate votes on secure elections

I don't know any other way to keep them from stealing 2020.

[BigmanPigman]

31. I like that idea.

[Rebl2]

26. I agree!

What’s more important than saving our democracy by getting rid the orange Russian troll in the WH. While we’re at it, get rid Moscow Mitch as well.

[JonLP24]

3. She wants to open impeachment proceedings to get people like Don McGahn to testify

[Retrograde]

5. I wish I were in her district

I miss by about .5 mile. My rep, though she usually votes the way I want and responds to emails, is mealy-mouthed about impeachment. She's a Pelosi clone, and as soon as Nancy comes around she'll be right in lock-step.

[CaptainTruth]

8. I'm fine with this. Let's have a House vote to begin an inquiry.

I also saw it mentioned (by folks who have "sources&quot that Nadler has said September.

[machI]

9. Hear here!

Impeachment now. What in the world are our Congressmen waiting for? It is past time to open impeachment hearings. Special Council Mueller has laid it all out for us - let's go.

[Grokenstein]

10. No no no, golly gosh-a-roonie, no!

We must wait! Once enough dead children pile up, once enough other children disappear forever, then the Overton window will finally scootch over to the left a little bit, and then we'll lock 'em up right after they leave office*!

...You know, just like we did with Darth Cheney and Li'l Dubbie!

*presuming they deign to do so

[Vinca]

11. As much as I want impeachment to happen, I'm kind of agreeing with her.

At some point it's just too close to the next election and we need to put all our focus on that. Defeating Trump is a priority, but getting rid of Mitch is just as important.

[watoos]

13. Can I do a what if scenario for you?

We know that Russia is involved already to get Trump elected in 2020, Mueller told us that Wednesday. Trump may squeak out a narrow win in 2020 with Russia's help just like he did in 2016. What if the race is close and we are counting down the votes in Florida and whoever wins Florida is going to be president and it looks good for the Democrat and then Putin comes out and says or makes it known that Russia meddled with the vote count in Florida and other states. Donald Trump declares the election was not fair because we have proof that Russia affected the outcome. Trump declares the entire election invalid. Then what?

[bucolic_frolic]

15. Does Trump have the power to invalidate elections?

I think there would be litigation. and public outcry.

[watoos]

18. Does Trump have the power

to tell the IRS not to turn over his tax returns to chairman Neal?

[former9thward]

23. Yes, any POTUS does.

The IRS is part of the Executive branch and the POTUS is the head of the Executive branch. So he can tell them to do anything he wants. It is up to a court to determine if it is a lawful order.

[bucolic_frolic]

25. And what does the IRS have to do with elections?

'splain, the world is waiting

[former9thward]

28. The world is waiting for you to ask a question with context.

Well, maybe not waiting ...

[Lonestarblue]

16. You just articulated my nightmare.

I just don’t know how we prevent the cheating. Russian hackers have already scouted out our election systems, and we know they weren’t in there just to look around. We also know that we need an overwhelming vote for Democrats to get around Republican cheating. Between Russians and Republicans, we have an uphill battle. I’m not giving up, but I’m not confident either.

[Vinca]

29. I have no idea. And here's another potential scenario to think about. Not only does Russia

interfere, but so do other countries. Iran, for example, would love to see the back side of Trump going out the door. Maybe Iran will hack away for the Democrats. The whole thing is a nightmare.

[watoos]

12. I forget who said this last night,

but as we all know we don't need a crime to impeach the president. Last night someone said that one of the many reasons to impeach Trump is that he has failed to protect our country against foreign attacks, i.e. Russia's attacks on our election. It is not debatable that Russia attacked us yet our president takes the word of the person who attacked us over the word of our own national security experts and agencies.

Trump has failed in his constitutional duty to protect America from foreign aggression, that would be my #1 reason to impeach Trump. If we don't impeach Trump he will claim exoneration in everything he has done.

[She_Totally_Gets_It]

17. He has failed to protect us, but so has the ReThugs in Congress who have voted down every

measure to protect the 2020 elections. They are doing it in plain sight, right before our eyes. And the media does nothing to inform the American pubic. The Dems should also be yelling on the rooftops. Pelosi should have marched to the cameras to warn the American people about the Russians, but she hasn't and I don't believe she won't.

Sometimes I think Democrats really want Republicans to win because they never do every to change the narrative. They never do enough to be forceful at all.

[bucolic_frolic]

14. Don't make it now or never

make it when the evidence can be proven. a festering threat of impeachment could have great use in an election year.

I think she is way off on this deadline ultimatum.

[watoos]

19. Elections begin in February.

[bucolic_frolic]

20. Yes, the first Tuesday in February in November

[former9thward]

24. Impeachment in an election year would be see as a purely political act.

It will not happen then.

[WhoWoodaKnew]

27. Does anyone notice that the most hardcore Trump supporters want impeachment to happen right now?

That's extremely telling. They want this over with so the Senate can clear him and he's free to brag about it.

[riversedge]

30. I think that is reasonable. We can not limp along month after month like we have

been doing.