Impeachment push

Texas Democrat intensifies Trump impeachment push

By HEATHER CAYGLE and JOHN BRESNAHAN

Rep. Al Green is drafting articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, saying the president should be forced from office for firing FBI Director James Comey in the middle of the bureau’s ongoing Russia investigation.

The articles of impeachment, which Green will officially announce Wednesday, follow increasing calls from some rank-and-file Democrats for Trump to be booted from office.

“Obstruction of justice by the president is the problem,” Green (D-Texas) said in a statement announcing his plan late Tuesday. “Impeachment by Congress is the solution.”

Comey will testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday. The former FBI chief is expected to recount his interactions with Trump over the last several months, including an alleged request by the president that Comey end an investigation into Michael Flynn, Trump's former national security adviser.

While Green's push is sure to fire up the party’s progressive base, which has been demanding lawmakers take a more aggressive approach to Trump, Democratic leaders have been and remain cool to the idea.

The bar to remove a president from office is understandably high, and Democratic leaders argue there’s no evidence Trump has committed the high crimes that warrant such a move. And the push to impeach Trump certainly won’t receive any love from Republicans, who would be necessary to make such action a reality.

But the tepid response from Democratic leaders hasn’t stopped more than a dozen Democrats from calling from Trump’s impeachment in recent weeks, particularly after Comey was abruptly dismissed.

“This is obstruction of justice. This will continue to be obstruction of justice regardless of testimony given by Mr. James Comey,” Green said. “The question that only Congress can answer is whether the president can obstruct justice with impunity.”