Politics
JUST IN: Democrat Drops Trump Impeachment Stunt After Backlash
A Democratic congressman and rumored 2026 gubernatorial candidate has withdrawn his articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump following pleas from his fellow party members to nix the ill-advised campaign stunt.
Shri Thanedar (D-MI), who is eyeing a run to become the next governor of Michigan, pulled the plug on his one-man attempt at impeaching Trump for a third time after he received tremendous pressure from other Democrats to do so.
“After talking with many colleagues, I have decided not to force a vote on impeachment today,” he told Politico in a text message. “Instead, I will add to my articles of impeachment and continue to rally the support of both Democrats and Republicans to defend the Constitution with me.”
It became clear that Thanedar’s heart was no longer in the struggle when he failed to call up a vote on impeachment during a series of votes Wednesday evening, the outlet reported.
Other Democrats who were seen speaking privately with Thanedar on Wednesday may have informed him how the impeachment stunt was hurting the opposition party’s ability to train its focus on Republicans’ proposed cuts to Medicaid and other federal programs while the GOP leadership moves closer to putting Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” up for a full vote on the floor of the House as soon as next week.
Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Greg Casar (D-TX), Brad Schneider (D-IL), and Jamie Raskin (D-MD) were all seen huddling with Thanedar one-on-one, Politico wrote. Schneider reminded his Michigan colleague about the need to stay focused on House GOP spending cuts at a time when the issue is front and center in Washington, according to one source familiar with their conversation who was granted anonymity to speak freely.
Asked about his articles of impeachment earlier that day, Thanedar defiantly said he still planned to introduce them; however, Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-CA) told reporters that he expected the measure would be killed.
The impeachment articles described President Trump as a “clear and present danger” to the U.S. and accused him of obstruction of justice, abuse of power, usurpation of power, bribery, and corruption.
“We cannot wait for more damage to be done. Congress must act,” the Democrat said in a statement introducing the measure.
Thanedar, a former pharmaceutical entrepreneur, has a checkered past littered with red flags.
The news he generated dredged up past allegations that he left dozens of lab animals to starve after his company declared bankruptcy and abruptly vacated its facility, forcing activists to climb a fence line and rescue the beagles and macaques. Thanedar has denied leaving the dogs and monkeys behind, saying his company adhered to proper shutdown procedures and did not control what its bank did with the animals after assuming ownership of the building.
Abdul El-Sayed, another challenger in the race, has questioned Thanedar’s populist bona fides and claims he is the “real progressive” running for governor, according to the Detroit Metro Times.
