A Republican congressman has introduced a resolution to strip House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) of his panel post in a bid to put an end to his “rogue witch-hunt” to impeach President Donald Trump.
Lance Gooden (R-Texas) made the move on Sept. 24 after impeachment proceedings against Trump were formally backed Tuesday by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).
Gooden said in a release: “In recent days, Democrats have sanctimoniously declared their allegiance to the rule of law. I encourage them to follow those rules and hold Chairman Nadler accountable for breaking them.”
He added that Nadler’s actions went against the will of the House of Representatives, as it didn’t explicitly authorize his committee to begin impeachment proceedings. “This attempted coup against a duly elected, sitting president is unprecedented and must be stopped,” Gooden continued.
“I urge the majority to move immediately to have him stripped of his chairmanship and that any accomplices on the Judiciary Committee not be considered as a replacement.”
She met on Sept. 24 with her caucus of House Democrats before the planned statement.
Pelosi, until recently, had publicly resisted the move despite other top Democrats pushing for it in legal filings and in the media. The move by some Democrats to impeach the president was stalled after former special counsel Robert Mueller was unable to back up claims of collusion between Trump and Russia or obstruction of justice.
“You will see it was a very friendly and totally appropriate call. No pressure and, unlike Joe Biden and his son, NO quid pro quo! This is nothing more than a continuation of the Greatest and most Destructive Witch Hunt of all time!”
“I speak regularly with Leader Pelosi. I spoke to her last night and again twice this morning. As I’ve said before, I believe she is handling this appropriately and she has my support,” Schumer told reporters, according to The Hill.
Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) also said the allegation against Trump was the final straw.
Meanwhile, more than 180 House Democrats said they support launching an inquiry into impeachment charges.
House Intelligence Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) on Sept. 24 said the person who filed a complaint against Trump about the July 25 phone call wants to meet with Congress.
“We‘re in touch with counsel and look forward to the whistleblower’s testimony as soon as this week,” Schiff said.