Rogue Trump impeachment efforts divide House Democrats

Democratic leaders have tried to squash impeachment pushes from rank-and-file lawmakers as progressives urge the party to fight harder against Trump.

WASHINGTON — House Democrats have been publicly grappling with the issue of impeaching President Donald Trump, with grassroots activists pressuring lawmakers to more aggressively confront Trump and centrist members of the party dismissing the push as futile.

During a six-week stretch this year, House Democrats twice were confronted with impeachment votes — forced by their own rank-and-file members — that had zero chance of passing, given that Republicans control the chamber.

In May, Democratic leaders convinced Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich., to back off his impeachment push at the last minute. But the following month, Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, forced a failed vote to impeach Trump, exposing stark divisions among Democrats and putting the party's vulnerable members in a difficult position ahead of next year's midterm elections.

Before the 119th Congress is over, it’s likely there will be other pushes to impeach Trump, who survived two such efforts during his first term, even as many Democrats grow frustrated by them.

“They’re massively unhelpful, and they just fire up the base,” said one moderate House Democrat who opposed the recent impeachment efforts.