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| ‘When They Speak, Everybody Listens.’ How Freshmen Are Shaping the Impeachment Push. | ‘When They Speak, Everybody Listens.’ How Freshmen Are Shaping the Impeachment Push. |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| WASHINGTON — On the first day of the 116th Congress, the strident cry of a first-term lawmaker encapsulated the fervor of the progressive left for impeaching President Trump. | WASHINGTON — On the first day of the 116th Congress, the strident cry of a first-term lawmaker encapsulated the fervor of the progressive left for impeaching President Trump. |
| In a late-night speech to activists in early January, Representative Rashida Tlaib, Democrat of Michigan, promised, “We’re going to impeach the” president, referring to Mr. Trump with an expletive. | In a late-night speech to activists in early January, Representative Rashida Tlaib, Democrat of Michigan, promised, “We’re going to impeach the” president, referring to Mr. Trump with an expletive. |
| More than eight months later, a cascade of carefully worded statements from moderate freshmen in Republican-leaning districts proved a crucial pivot point that helped drive House Democrats to officially begin an impeachment inquiry. | More than eight months later, a cascade of carefully worded statements from moderate freshmen in Republican-leaning districts proved a crucial pivot point that helped drive House Democrats to officially begin an impeachment inquiry. |
| Sixty-four Democrats were elected last year — the most ideologically and culturally diverse class in history — and since coming to Washington in January, the freshmen have personified the two poles of a divided caucus in the impeachment debate. | Sixty-four Democrats were elected last year — the most ideologically and culturally diverse class in history — and since coming to Washington in January, the freshmen have personified the two poles of a divided caucus in the impeachment debate. |
| Now the progressives who have long clamored for Mr. Trump’s removal and the moderates who stubbornly resisted it have come together around the idea that it is time to pursue an impeachment inquiry. The rare bit of unity has given leverage to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has privately advised some of the freshmen about the most effective way to make their voices heard, as she undertakes a process that could bring down a president. | Now the progressives who have long clamored for Mr. Trump’s removal and the moderates who stubbornly resisted it have come together around the idea that it is time to pursue an impeachment inquiry. The rare bit of unity has given leverage to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has privately advised some of the freshmen about the most effective way to make their voices heard, as she undertakes a process that could bring down a president. |
| And balancing their competing interests as the House moves ahead could prove a steep challenge. | And balancing their competing interests as the House moves ahead could prove a steep challenge. |
| Top Democrats say it is no accident that Ms. Pelosi’s head-spinning turn from opposing an impeachment inquiry to calling for one came less than 24 hours after seven first-term moderates, including military veterans and two former C.I.A. officers, embraced the idea in the opinion pages of The Washington Post on Monday night. Other moderate freshmen followed with their own carefully drafted statements. Most had strongly resisted impeachment and some have tough re-election races. | |
| “It caused other colleagues to change their minds and it signaled the gravity of the moment,” said Representative David Cicilline, of Rhode Island, a member of the Democratic leadership. “It wasn’t a coincidence that all these events happened together. As they began to call for it, it created, really, a dam breaking in our caucus.” | “It caused other colleagues to change their minds and it signaled the gravity of the moment,” said Representative David Cicilline, of Rhode Island, a member of the Democratic leadership. “It wasn’t a coincidence that all these events happened together. As they began to call for it, it created, really, a dam breaking in our caucus.” |
| That has created a new atmosphere in the Capitol, where the moderates have spent months ducking reporter’s impeachment questions, often refusing to mention the word. Eclipsed in the media by liberals like Ms. Tlaib and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, they are now taking their turn in the spotlight, forthright about their views on and off camera. | That has created a new atmosphere in the Capitol, where the moderates have spent months ducking reporter’s impeachment questions, often refusing to mention the word. Eclipsed in the media by liberals like Ms. Tlaib and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, they are now taking their turn in the spotlight, forthright about their views on and off camera. |
| “I support the inquiry, and I think the transcript that came out, it’s plain for anyone to see, it shows the president of the United States, both explicitly and implicitly asking a foreign leader to dig up dirt on a political opponent,” declared Representative Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, a former C.I.A. analyst and one of the authors of the op-ed. “That can’t be O.K.” | “I support the inquiry, and I think the transcript that came out, it’s plain for anyone to see, it shows the president of the United States, both explicitly and implicitly asking a foreign leader to dig up dirt on a political opponent,” declared Representative Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, a former C.I.A. analyst and one of the authors of the op-ed. “That can’t be O.K.” |
| Ms. Slotkin was referring to a transcript released on Wednesday of Mr. Trump’s call with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, which has been at the center of the impeachment discussion. It showed that Mr. Trump repeatedly asked Mr. Zelensky to investigate one of the American president’s rivals, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. | Ms. Slotkin was referring to a transcript released on Wednesday of Mr. Trump’s call with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, which has been at the center of the impeachment discussion. It showed that Mr. Trump repeatedly asked Mr. Zelensky to investigate one of the American president’s rivals, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. |
| Constituting roughly a quarter of the Democratic caucus, the freshmen are a microcosm of the broader group. They span the philosophical spectrum, including Ms. Tlaib of Michigan on the left, and Representative Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey — who on Wednesday echoed some of the arguments Republican leaders are making against impeachment — on the right. | Constituting roughly a quarter of the Democratic caucus, the freshmen are a microcosm of the broader group. They span the philosophical spectrum, including Ms. Tlaib of Michigan on the left, and Representative Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey — who on Wednesday echoed some of the arguments Republican leaders are making against impeachment — on the right. |
| “We’re fundamentally different folks, right, we’re generally not career politicians, we’re generally people that haven’t been spending our lives within political systems trying to get here to Washington,” said Representative Jason Crow, Democrat of Colorado and one of the seven writers behind the op-ed. “Because we come from different backgrounds, we have a unique ability right now to change culture and approach things in a very different way.” | “We’re fundamentally different folks, right, we’re generally not career politicians, we’re generally people that haven’t been spending our lives within political systems trying to get here to Washington,” said Representative Jason Crow, Democrat of Colorado and one of the seven writers behind the op-ed. “Because we come from different backgrounds, we have a unique ability right now to change culture and approach things in a very different way.” |
| Ms. Pelosi is paying especially close attention to the more than 40 freshmen who flipped Republican seats — many, but not all, in districts won by Mr. Trump. The House Republican campaign arm has reveled in the new enthusiasm for impeachment, flooding the airwaves with statements claiming that because the moderates have “caved to the impeachment-obsessed base,” their political careers are over. | Ms. Pelosi is paying especially close attention to the more than 40 freshmen who flipped Republican seats — many, but not all, in districts won by Mr. Trump. The House Republican campaign arm has reveled in the new enthusiasm for impeachment, flooding the airwaves with statements claiming that because the moderates have “caved to the impeachment-obsessed base,” their political careers are over. |
| The few Democrats who oppose impeachment, like Mr. Van Drew, can ill afford to take a vote on the House floor on whether to open an impeachment inquiry, and Ms. Pelosi does not plan to hold one, according to lawmakers and senior party officials, even though that is what Republicans did in 1998 when they opened an inquiry into President Bill Clinton. | The few Democrats who oppose impeachment, like Mr. Van Drew, can ill afford to take a vote on the House floor on whether to open an impeachment inquiry, and Ms. Pelosi does not plan to hold one, according to lawmakers and senior party officials, even though that is what Republicans did in 1998 when they opened an inquiry into President Bill Clinton. |
| Mr. Van Drew said he has been raising that issue in calls to the speaker’s office. “I asked, ‘Do you absolutely need a vote for the impeachment inquiry, for the inquiry alone?’ ” he said. “And nobody has gotten me that information.” | Mr. Van Drew said he has been raising that issue in calls to the speaker’s office. “I asked, ‘Do you absolutely need a vote for the impeachment inquiry, for the inquiry alone?’ ” he said. “And nobody has gotten me that information.” |
| Instead, the House voted Wednesday on a resolution demanding access to a whistle-blower complaint about Ukraine, and condemning Mr. Trump and his administration for refusing to turn it over to Congress. Hours before the vote, they did. | Instead, the House voted Wednesday on a resolution demanding access to a whistle-blower complaint about Ukraine, and condemning Mr. Trump and his administration for refusing to turn it over to Congress. Hours before the vote, they did. |
| Others, like Ms. Slotkin, are urging Ms. Pelosi to narrow the impeachment inquiry to Ukraine, and focus it tightly on national security — a message that would presumably go over well in their Trump-friendly districts. Were she to do so, the speaker might anger powerful committee chairmen who are investigating other aspects of the Trump administration. | Others, like Ms. Slotkin, are urging Ms. Pelosi to narrow the impeachment inquiry to Ukraine, and focus it tightly on national security — a message that would presumably go over well in their Trump-friendly districts. Were she to do so, the speaker might anger powerful committee chairmen who are investigating other aspects of the Trump administration. |
| “The speaker has given each of us the freedom to come to whatever conclusion we have on our own, based on our own beliefs and our own districts,” said Representative Angie Craig, who flipped a Republican seat in Minnesota. “This is one of the toughest decisions that any member of Congress will have to make — and it’s not something I ever wanted to have to do.” | “The speaker has given each of us the freedom to come to whatever conclusion we have on our own, based on our own beliefs and our own districts,” said Representative Angie Craig, who flipped a Republican seat in Minnesota. “This is one of the toughest decisions that any member of Congress will have to make — and it’s not something I ever wanted to have to do.” |
| For centrists like Ms. Craig, there is clearly political peril in coming out in favor of impeachment. Only a few, including Representative Antonio Delgado, Democrat of New York, directly called for articles of impeachment over the allegations surrounding the call. Many did so with statements aimed at their constituents. Representative Haley Stevens of Michigan, one of two presidents of the freshman class, was among those who wrestled with the decision. | For centrists like Ms. Craig, there is clearly political peril in coming out in favor of impeachment. Only a few, including Representative Antonio Delgado, Democrat of New York, directly called for articles of impeachment over the allegations surrounding the call. Many did so with statements aimed at their constituents. Representative Haley Stevens of Michigan, one of two presidents of the freshman class, was among those who wrestled with the decision. |
| “It’s not political,” she said. “My goal wasn’t to move the narrative, but to speak to the gravity of the situation.” | “It’s not political,” she said. “My goal wasn’t to move the narrative, but to speak to the gravity of the situation.” |
| At the same time, the tables have flipped for Ms. Pelosi when it comes to the liberal wing of her caucus. For months, progressive freshmen like Ms. Tlaib — a member of the foursome of freshmen women who dub themselves “the squad” — have been pressuring the speaker to move on impeachment. Now, she has done what they wanted. | |
| “Time’s up,” Ms. Tlaib declared happily on Tuesday, after Ms. Pelosi’s announcement, adding, “I guess it took this major action, a criminal action by the president, for a lot of my colleagues to understand. We’re moving forward and I’m very pleased.” | “Time’s up,” Ms. Tlaib declared happily on Tuesday, after Ms. Pelosi’s announcement, adding, “I guess it took this major action, a criminal action by the president, for a lot of my colleagues to understand. We’re moving forward and I’m very pleased.” |
| Veteran Democrats agree that, as a class, the freshmen have outsized power — in part because there are so many of them. Representative Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, chairman of the House Rules Committee, said that when he was a freshman, nobody paid attention to him. | Veteran Democrats agree that, as a class, the freshmen have outsized power — in part because there are so many of them. Representative Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, chairman of the House Rules Committee, said that when he was a freshman, nobody paid attention to him. |
| “When they speak,” Mr. McGovern said, “everybody listens.” | “When they speak,” Mr. McGovern said, “everybody listens.” |
| Ms. Pelosi meets monthly with the freshmen as a class, and meets with smaller groups as various issues crop up. She spoke with the seven national security lawmakers on Monday at about 5 p.m., several hours before their opinion piece posted. Representative Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, one of the authors, said Ms. Pelosi was not told about the op-ed until it was “already in the hands” of editors at The Post. | Ms. Pelosi meets monthly with the freshmen as a class, and meets with smaller groups as various issues crop up. She spoke with the seven national security lawmakers on Monday at about 5 p.m., several hours before their opinion piece posted. Representative Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, one of the authors, said Ms. Pelosi was not told about the op-ed until it was “already in the hands” of editors at The Post. |
| But the speaker was pleased to have it, those close to her say, and she was spotted reading it Tuesday morning on a plane from New York to Washington. The freshmen were short, and to the point, and hinted at their past reluctance, declaring, “We do not arrive at this conclusion lightly.” | But the speaker was pleased to have it, those close to her say, and she was spotted reading it Tuesday morning on a plane from New York to Washington. The freshmen were short, and to the point, and hinted at their past reluctance, declaring, “We do not arrive at this conclusion lightly.” |
| The op-ed, coupled with the other statements, caught other, more veteran Democrats by surprise. Representative Mark Takano of California, chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, said he was especially caught off guard when he saw that Representative Elaine Luria, a low-profile Democrat from Virginia, was one of the authors. | The op-ed, coupled with the other statements, caught other, more veteran Democrats by surprise. Representative Mark Takano of California, chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, said he was especially caught off guard when he saw that Representative Elaine Luria, a low-profile Democrat from Virginia, was one of the authors. |
| “Elaine’s from a very tough district,” Mr. Takano said. “My reaction when I heard Elaine had done that was, ‘Oh my god, wow, this is really a watershed moment.’ ” | “Elaine’s from a very tough district,” Mr. Takano said. “My reaction when I heard Elaine had done that was, ‘Oh my god, wow, this is really a watershed moment.’ ” |