|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Pete
Hegseth
in
impeachment
crosshairs
as
Republican-led
effort
gains
Democratic
backing
Diane
Simpson
- White
House
Correspondent
Tell Us
USA News
Network
WASHINGTON
-
Defense
Secretary
Pete
Hegseth
faces a
growing
impeachment
threat
as
Republican
Rep.
Thomas
Massie
prepares
to force
a House
vote
over
allegations
that the
Pentagon
chief
waged
war
against
Iran
without
congressional
authorization
and
continued
military
operations
in
defiance
of
Congress.
House
Democratic
leader
Hakeem
Jeffries
has
endorsed
the
effort,
increasing
pressure
on one
of
President
Donald
Trump’s
most
prominent
Cabinet
members.
The
confrontation
could
reach
the
House
floor
this
week.
Massie,
a
Kentucky
Republican
and
frequent
Trump
critic,
plans to
revive
an
eight-article
impeachment
resolution
he
originally
introduced
in
September.
The
effort
comes as
Republicans
confront
the
consequences
of
midterm
election
losses
and
Democrats
prepare
to take
control
of
Congress
in
January.
Jeffries
declared
himself
a “hard
yes” on
impeachment
during
an
appearance
Sunday
on ABC’s
“This
Week,”
accusing
Hegseth
of
abusing
his
authority
and
undermining
national
security
through
the war
in Iran.
His
endorsement
places
the
House’s
top
Democrat
behind
an
initiative
led by a
member
of the
president’s
own
party.
Massie’s
resolution
alleges
that
Hegseth
violated
the War
Powers
Resolution
of 1973
by
conducting
hostilities
against
Iran
without
congressional
authorization,
continuing
the
conflict
after
Congress
directed
the
withdrawal
of U.S.
forces,
and
exceeding
statutory
deadlines
for
unauthorized
military
operations.
Those
remain
allegations
advanced
by the
resolution,
not
findings
established
by an
impeachment
trial.
The
accusations
extend
beyond
Iran.
Massie
has also
challenged
the
legal
authority
for
military
actions
involving
Yemen,
the
seizure
of
Venezuela’s
Nicolás
Maduro
and
lethal
strikes
against
suspected
drug
traffickers.
The
resolution
raises
additional
allegations
concerning
civilian
casualties
and the
use of
military
power.
The
dispute
puts a
fundamental
question
before
lawmakers:
whether
Hegseth’s
execution
of
administration
policy
crossed
from
contested
military
decision-making
into
impeachable
misconduct.
Massie’s
central
argument
is that
the
defense
secretary
disregarded
legal
limits
on the
executive
branch’s
authority
to wage
war.
Hegseth
has
signaled
that he
will
resist
efforts
to oust
him. The
Wall
Street
Journal
reported
Saturday
that he
was
mounting
an
aggressive
campaign
against
impeachment
and
intended
to
remain
at the
Pentagon
for the
rest of
Trump’s
administration.
Trump
has
continued
to
defend
his
defense
secretary.
On
Sunday,
the
president
offered
another
public
endorsement
as the
impeachment
push
gathered
momentum,
while
Hegseth
posted
defiant
videos
on
social
media.
The
immediate
challenge
for
Republican
leaders
is
whether
they can
contain
defections
in the
outgoing
House.
Republicans
retain
control
until
the new
Congress
takes
office,
and they
could
seek to
dispose
of
Massie’s
resolution
through
a vote
to table
it
rather
than
approve
its
allegations.
Democratic
gains in
the
election
have not
yet
changed
control
of the
chamber.
Impeachment
and
removal
are
separate
steps. A
simple
majority
in the
House
can
approve
an
article
of
impeachment,
formally
accusing
an
official
of
misconduct.
Conviction
and
removal
require
a
two-thirds
vote of
senators
present
at a
Senate
trial —
a
substantially
higher
threshold.
That
distinction
leaves
Hegseth’s
ultimate
fate
uncertain
even if
Massie
assembles
enough
votes in
the
House.
Jeffries’
backing
strengthens
the
impeachment
campaign,
but it
does not
establish
that the
Senate
would
convict
the
defense
secretary.
A
successful
House
impeachment
would
also
carry
historical
significance:
Hegseth
would
become
the
first
civilian
defense
chief
impeached
since
Secretary
of War
William
Belknap
in 1876,
according
to The
Wall
Street
Journal.
For now,
the next
test is
whether
the
outgoing
Republican-controlled
House
allows
the
effort
to
advance
or votes
to shut
it down.
This
Tell Us
USA News
Network
report
is
produced
in part
by Ai
and can
make
mistakes.
Please
contact
and let
us know
of any
errors
you may
find.
info@tellususa.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I
HI TECH NEWS
I
SPORTS
I
