The 11 Missing Democrats Saved Pete Hegseth—and the Party From Itself
Those absentees helped sink the Hegseth impeachment push. The bad traffic may have spared Democrats a bigger one.
In a vote to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, 11 House Democrats missed the crucial Tuesday vote. California Democratic Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove harshly condemned those who were absent, while others blamed traffic. The House had voted 211-204 to send Republican Representative Thomas Massie's eight articles of impeachment to the Judiciary Committee.
All Democrats voted against the referral. If the 11 had joined the opposition, the impeachment would have failed. However, their absence prevented the party from embarking on a draining and uncertain impeachment fight. The allegations against Hegseth are serious, accusing him of waging the Iran war without congressional authorization, ordering unlawful strikes, and retaliating against Democratic Senator Mark Kelly.
Hegseth denies all the allegations, calling the impeachment a baseless political spectacle. Democrats may not have the Senate votes to complete the impeachment, as they will hold at least 54 seats in January, leaving them short by 11 Republicans. While some Republicans are wavering on Hegseth, two who signaled openness to conviction leave the Senate in January.
Democrats do not need the chaos of impeachment to scrutinize Hegseth or put his job under pressure. Their incoming committee chairs can investigate the war, subpoena evidence, and bring officials before Congress. Some Democrats, like Representative Jim Himes, criticized the absences of their party colleagues, calling Massie’s move not careful and suggesting Democrats focus on oversight.
However, El-Sayed made the same point before Election Day, emphasizing that impeachment should be a decision made after thorough investigation, with the first priority being relief from the affordability crisis. Massie's resolution was filed shortly after the vote, leaving little time for a thorough investigation. Despite Hegseth's ability to replace the order, the impeachment allegations merit serious investigation.
The vote was significant for Democrats, who won Congress in an election dominated by concerns about the economy, health care, and Iran.
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