Rep. Jamie Raskin says impeachment isn’t a ‘fetish’ for Democrats but ‘a critical tool’

Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., that Trump has committed impeachable offenses in his second term, saying that impeachment is a “critical tool” for Democrats but they would also focus on other issues.

Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., told NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday that President Donald Trump has “undoubtedly” committed impeachable offenses but that Democrats would also focus on issues like healthcare if they win back the House.

“Everybody on our side understands that impeachment is a critical tool in the toolbox for constitutional self-defense against a president acting like a king, an imperious, lawless, arrogant king,” Raskin said, responding to a question about whether Democrats should move to impeach Trump if they retake the House.

He added, though, that Trump’s two impeachments constituted half of all impeachments in U.S. history, noting that after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, Democrats were unable to persuade enough Republicans to side with them to convict the president.

Trump has been impeached twice, though he has never been convicted. As midterm elections approach, Democrats have not closed the door on moving to impeach Trump again if they retake the House. Trump, too, has warned his supporters that Democrats could try to impeach him again.

Moderator Kristen Welker pressed Raskin again on his stance toward impeachment, and Raskin said that “impeachment is not a taboo with us.”