For the first time since the inauguration of President Donald Trump on January 20 this year, a US lawmaker has filed the first article of impeachment against him for obstructing justice in the probe into alleged Russian meddling in 2016 presidential poll.
Brad Sherman, Democratic Congressman from California, introduced the impeachment which was signed by Democrat Al Green.
However, the move is unlikely to move forward in the Republican-controlled Congress.
The House of Representatives needs to pass it by a majority vote for the article to move forward.
Trump’s Republican party has an advantage of 46 votes in the current House of Representatives and it is unlikely that the Republican lawmakers would vote on such an impeachment move.
The White House dismissed Sherman’s move with spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders saying, “I think that is utterly and completely ridiculous and a political game at its worst.”
“Recent disclosures by Donald Trump Jr. indicate that Trump’s campaign was eager to receive assistance from Russia. It now seems likely that the President had something to hide when he tried to curtail the investigation of National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and the wider Russian probe,” Sherman said after introducing the article of impeachment against Trump.
“I believe his conversations with, and subsequent firing of, FBI Director James Comey constitute Obstruction of Justice,” he said.
Every day Democrats, Republicans, and the entire world are shocked by the latest example of America’s “amateur President”, he said, accusing Trump of being ignorant and refusing to learn.
“Lack of impulse control, accompanied by a refusal to have his staff control his impulses. We’re no longer surprised by any action, no matter how far below the dignity of the office—and no matter how dangerous to the country,” Sherman said.
“But the Constitution does not provide for the removal of a President for impulsive, ignorant incompetence. It does provide for the removal of a President for High Crimes and Misdemeanours,” he asserted.
As the investigations move forward, additional evidence supporting additional articles of impeachment may emerge, he noted.
“However, as to the Obstruction of Justice...the evidence we have is sufficient to move forward now. And the national interest requires that we do so,” the Democratic lawmaker said.
(With PTI inputs)
