House

House Democrat in Trump district endorses impeachment

by Cristina Marcos - 12/14/17 7:57 PM ET

One of the 12 House Democrats who represents a district won by President Trump in 2016 is now endorsing articles of impeachment.

Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-N.H.) said in a statement on Thursday that she is co-sponsoring impeachment articles introduced by liberal Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.).

Previously, other Democrats who have endorsed impeachment of Trump have largely hailed from safe blue districts.

In supporting impeachment, Shea-Porter cited comments from Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) warning that Trump is not fit for office.

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“Many Members of Congress, including myself, agree with Republican Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker that President Trump poses a dangerous threat to national security and the future of our democracy,” Shea-Porter said in a statement.

“I believe it is past time for Members of Congress to put country before party and bring these discussions out into the open,” she said.

Shea-Porter would be facing a tough reelection next year in a district that Trump won by 2 points. But she announced in October that she will retire at the end of her term, despite only winning back the swing district in November.

She had traded the seat twice in the past seven years with a Republican.

It’s not the first time Shea-Porter has taken a stand against Trump despite representing a middle-of-the-road Manchester-area district.

She was among the dozens of Democrats who boycotted Trump’s inauguration in January, and said she would instead attend religious services “to pray for all of our leaders and people.”

Last week, the House rejected an effort by Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) to move forward with articles of impeachment. Green’s articles of impeachment argued Trump has “brought disrepute, contempt, ridicule and disgrace on the presidency” and “sown discord among the people of the United States.”

A total of 58 Democrats voted in support of Green’s resolution, nearly a third of the caucus. Shea-Porter and three other Democrats voted “present.”

The articles of impeachment by Cohen allege that Trump obstructed justice by firing James Comey as FBI director amid the probe of Russia’s election meddling; violating the foreign emoluments clause of the Constitution that bars the president from accepting gifts from foreign governments without the consent of Congress; and undermine the judiciary and media.

Tags Al Green Bob Corker Carol Shea-Porter Donald Trump Steve Cohen