Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) files articles of impeachment

[Tanuki]

http://ir.net/news/politics/126960/breaking-articles-impeachment-just-introduced-trump-ranking-member-cohen/
Congressman Steve Cohen from the 9th District in Tennessee and Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice decided to introduce the articles following Trump’s mishandling of the Charlottesville chaos, which was caused by white supremacists. These are not the first articles of impeachment introduced by Congress against the President. Back in mid-July California Congressman Brad Sherman also introduced articles to impeach President Trump.
.....
Below is a statement issued by Steve Cohen regarding his reasoning behind his decision:

“I have expressed great concerns about President Trump’s ability to lead our country in the Resolution of No Confidence (H.Res. 456) that I introduced in July with 29 of my colleagues; however, after the President’s comments on Saturday, August 12 and again on Tuesday, August 15 in response to the horrific events in Charlottesville, I believe the President should be impeached and removed from office. Instead of unequivocally condemning hateful actions by neo-Nazis, white nationalists and Klansmen following a national tragedy, the President said ‘there were very fine people on both sides.’ There are no good Nazis. There are no good Klansmen.”

“We fought a World War to defeat Nazis, and a Civil War to defeat the Confederacy. In reaction to the downfall of the Confederacy, and the subsequent passage of the Reconstruction Amendments to our constitution, the KKK embarked on a dastardly campaign to terrorize and intimidate African Americans from exercising their newly acquired civil rights. Subsequent incarnations of the Klan continued to terrorize African Americans with lynchings and civil rights murders such as the assassination of Medgar Evers and the killings of Schwerner, Chaney, Goodman and other civil rights workers.”

“When I watched the videos from the protests in Charlottesville, it reminded me of the videos I’ve seen of Kristallnacht in 1938 in Nazi Germany. It appeared that the Charlottesville protesters were chanting ‘Jews will not replace us’ and ‘blood and soil,’ an infamous Nazi slogan, as they marched with torches that conjured up images of Klan rallies. None of the marchers spewing such verbiage could be considered ‘very fine people’ as the President suggested. And it certainly appeared the participants were in lock-step. Some of the white nationalist protesters were interviewed by the media, such as Sean Patrick Nielsen. He said one of his three reasons for being there was ‘killing Jews.’ Another was Christopher Cantwell, one of the white nationalist leaders, who said he couldn’t watch ‘that Kushner bastard walk around with that beautiful girl’ and said he hoped ‘somebody like Donald Trump, but who does not give his daughter to a Jew,’ would lead this country. As a Jew and as an American and as a representative of an African American district, I am revolted by the fact that the President of the United States couldn’t stand up and unequivocally condemn Nazis who want to kill Jews and whose predecessors murdered 6 million Jews during the Holocaust, and could not unequivocally condemn Klansmen whose organization is dedicated to terrorizing African Americans.

“President Trump has failed the presidential test of moral leadership. No moral president would ever shy away from outright condemning hate, intolerance and bigotry. No moral president would ever question the values of Americans protesting in opposition of such actions, one of whom was murdered by one of the white nationalists. Senator John McCain rightfully tweeted this week that there was ‘no moral equivalency between racists and Americans standing up to defy hate.’ Senator Marco Rubio tweeted, “Very important for the nation to hear @potus describe events in #Charlottesville for what they are, a terror attack by #whitesupremacists.” President Trump has shown time and time again that he lacks the ethical and moral rectitude to be President of the United States. Not only has he potentially obstructed justice and potentially violated the Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause, but he has also shown that he is incapable or unwilling to protect Americans from enemies, foreign and domestic. Neo-Nazis and the KKK are domestic terrorists. If the President can’t recognize the difference between these domestic terrorists and the people who oppose their anti-American attitudes, then he cannot defend us.”

Martin Niemöller, a prominent Protestant pastor who was an outspoken critic of Adolph Hitler, said:

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

“They have come for me, and for the majority of my Congressional constituency. Accordingly, I must speak out today after what happened on Saturday and our President’s subsequent response. It is morally and legally incumbent upon me, based on my oath of office, to introduce articles of impeachment.”

[Not Ruth]

1. It's happening!!!!!

[NurseJackie]

5. No. Not really. It's nice ... but "IT" is not actually "HAPPENING".

This won't go anywhere. It's just a finger-wagging gesture. I guess some people like that kind of thing... but this isn't the beginning of the end.

[Tanuki]

9. Every statement of resistance helps. I am under no illusion

that this will move forward to actual removal of 45 any time soon. I do prefer "that kind of thing" to silence.

[lunasun]

18. I agree . He is doing what he can

[IronLionZion]

10. And Trump is never going to be president

oh wait...

[Pauldg47]

22. It is the 1st chip off a big block..keep chipping and he'll be gone...

[bearsfootball516]

2. It's cool to see

But realistically, it's not going anywhere.

[LanternWaste]

6. Realistically, Trump was never going to win the GOP primaries.

Realistically, Trump was never going to win the GOP primaries. Realistically, Trump was never going to be president.

Realistically, every mountain is unclimable until someone climbs it, every river unswimmable until someone swims it.

[bearsfootball516]

7. Oh, I'm not saying he shouldn't file them

But people have to understand that with the majorities Republicans have in the House and Senate right now, impeachment just isn't happening. Keep fighting him on everything, and keep the pressure on, but start getting ready to vote him out of office in 2020 because that's by far the most likely scenario where he leaves office.

[lunasun]

3. I was in Memphis last winter . He has been serving since 2007.

Tennessee's 9th district includes almost three-fourths of Memphis.

I agree with the pastor .
He and his ilk should of been shut down after the first campaign speech where he singled out Mexicans
Then it was Muslims
BLM
He was allowed to continue his hate and violent speeches
My city stopped him from speaking in March '16 (Chicago) by filling the streets in protest, but the next day he spoke somewhere else where they didn't care enough to protest .
Here we are

[Kleveland]

4. Grand gesture, and we are all behind it here....

But, I have to agree... it isn't going to go anywhere except into the Congressional Record.

I will have more faith in something significant happening when the morally bankrupt Repugs finally decide to save their own asses.

That of course begs the question:

What is it going to take?

Let us hope it is not more human lives, be they American, or other world citizens.

[spanone]

8. from my state! Go Congressman Cohen

[TNNurse]

11. Thant God this time we hear from Cohen from TN

and not that idiotic Marsha Blackburn. I live at the other end of the state from both of them, but claim him not her.

[spanone]

12. Amen...steve gets little national coverage...marsha is the big mouth

[Demsrule86]

13. Conviction in the Senate takes 2/3 votes.

You are impeached in the House and convicted in the Senate (removed). So it would take way more than 54 Senators.

[red dog 1]

14. K&R

[sandensea]

15. Unfortunately, Eddie Munster and Bitchy Mitchy will just call it "playing politics."

There's literally nothing Cheeto could do, that could persuade them to impeach.

[flibbitygiblets]

16. McConnell could not be reached for comment because he was too busy chewing a piece of lettuce.

Eddie consulted his werewolf doll, who told him to just pretend it isn't happening.

[sandensea]

17. Or collecting more drug money from Jimmy Chao.

[Duppers]

26. As always...

[trueblue2007]

19. YES !!!!!! IMPEACH TRUMP & SELD HIS LARD ASS & ALL OTHER GOPigs TO THE MOON !!!!

[L. Coyote]

20. Great news. Trump earned this one.

[cstanleytech]

21. Oh please this is pure theater as it wont go anywhere in the House as his comments are not an

impeachable act as defined under the law but even if it was the Repugnants control the House and Senate and I doubt we could sway enough to convict him there based only on these comments.

[OliverQ]

23. What does drawing up AoI do if there is no chance of it getting passed?

[Duppers]

27. Conditioning the electorate

Get used to it, it's coming...for sure.

We must be as bold as TRump in order to counteract this insanity.

[DFW]

28. Same thing it did when they impeached Clinton with no chance of conviction in the Senate

It brings attention to the subject

[malaise]

24. This should have 500 recs

Rec

[Sunlei]

25. This is what matters the most to a democracy, file charges, start bills, take them to the courts.

the tabloid freak shows are nothing but a distraction.

[diva77]

29. should have included Dense too -- he "stood" by what Dump said

Pence Says He Stands With Trump in Aftermath of Charlottesville
By Shannon Pettypiece
August 16, 2017, 10:42 AM PDT

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-16/pence-says-he-stands-with-trump-in-aftermath-of-charlottesville

SNIP...Vice President Mike Pence expressed his support for Donald Trump in carefully worded remarks as the administration coped with the fallout over controversial statements from the president on the deadly weekend violence in Virginia.

“The president has been clear on this, and so have I,” Pence said Wednesday during a news conference in Santiago, Chile. Pence went on to refer to his own forceful condemnation of white supremacists issued on Aug. 13 after the melee, saying, “I stand with the president, and I stand by those words.”...SNIP