House Republicans are still reeling from a midterm drubbing that cost them control of Congress, and now they are about to be forced into a vote many of them would rather skip – whether to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), who lost his GOP primary earlier this year, introduced eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth on Monday, and a vote is expected in the coming days during the lame-duck session, reported MS NOW.
The timing puts Republicans in a bind. Over the past six months, the overwhelming majority of House Republicans have repeatedly rejected Democratic efforts to rein in President Donald Trump’s war with Iran, and now they’ll have to go on the record about one of the war’s chief architects. The vote comes right after an election in which about one-third of voters ranked the Iran war as “crucial” to their decision, according to exit polls.
Massie made sure his colleagues understood the stakes.
“It’s going to be everybody’s conscience, and then they’ll have to live with that vote,” Massie told reporters. “They’re going to have to live with that vote two years from now, if they’re not part of the retirement caucus.”
“And if they are part of the retirement caucus,” he added, “what do they have to lose?”
Republicans may not even be able to block the measure. Only 399 lawmakers voted Monday night, and 202 of them were Democrats. If attendance stays thin, Democrats could effectively hold a majority this week.
The articles accuse Hegseth of waging war on Iran without congressional authorization, ordering extrajudicial killings tied to boat strikes in the Caribbean, and taking part in the kidnapping of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
GOP lawmakers are split on the decision, with Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), an Air Force veteran retiring at the end of the year, saying he was “wrestling” with the decision.
“I don’t think he’s been a good secretary,” Bacon said. “Would you impeach a guy for that? It has to be a high crime or misdemeanor.”
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), who lost his re-election bid, said he’ll vote no and cited the lack of hearings. Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH), who has backed Iran war powers resolutions, dismissed the effort as “blame-shifting from Congress and the president.”
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is poised to become speaker, said he’s a “hard yes” and argued Hegseth “shredded the law and the Constitution with impunity.”
According to Massie, GOP leaders canceled votes and sent members home early in September to avoid this exact vote. This time, that escape hatch appears to be gone.
Hegseth has brushed off the effort as “political theater” and is scheduled to defend his record at a press conference Tuesday. Even if the House impeaches him, the Senate could dismiss the charges.