Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) stepped to the House floor on Wednesday and made a direct appeal to impeach President Donald Trump for his firing of FBI Director James Comey.
Green’s demand comes one day after it was revealed that Trump asked Comey to drop the bureau’s probe into former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn before the President fired Comey.
“I rise today, Mr. Speaker, to call for the impeachment of the President of the United States for obstruction of justice,” Green boomed from the House chamber.
“This offense has occurred before our very eyes,” he added.
Several outlets reported on Tuesday evening the existence of a memo the former FBI Director wrote following a meeting he had alone with the President the day after Flynn resigned.
“I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go,” Trump reportedly told Comey. “He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go.”
Troubled by the President’s request, Comey made a paper trail of the interaction.
The White House claimed the former Director’s account was not a “truthful or accurate portrayal of the conversation.”
While the FBI is looking into alleged election interference by the Russians and possible coordination in that effort with members of the Trump presidential campaign, Flynn is facing legal questions in separate matters, too.
He accepted appearance and speaking fees from the Russian state-owned broadcaster RT in 2015, in possible violation of the Constitution’s emoluments clause, which forbids military officers from accepting gifts from foreign governments.
Flynn also was paid to lobby on behalf of the Turkish government, without disclosing it, while working in the Trump campaign—a possible violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
Green is not the first Democrat to call for removing Trump from office. Rep. Maxine Water (D-Calif.) has called for impeachment proceedings since February.
But after news of the Comey account dropped on Tuesday, more lawmakers are posturing for a constitutional showdown, including at least one Republican.
Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) said on Wednesday that if Comey’s memo is true, then “yes,” it would justify impeachment of the President.
But not all Democrats are ready to pull the trigger.
“I don’t think impeachment is the move right now,” Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) told MSNBC. “Impeachment may come down the line, but right now we need the facts. “
During his floor speech, Rep. Green noted that impeachment proceedings would lead to such a fact-finding mission.
“Impeachment does not mean that the President will be found guilty,” he said. “It simply means that the House of Representatives will bring charges against a president.” In this case, the charge would be obstruction of justice.
Following impeachment proceedings in the House, the matter would then move to the Senate to determine the President’s guilt and removal from office.
Republicans, at this juncture won’t let impeachment happen. The Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) maintained on Wednesday that he has full confidence in President Trump.
