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Three Democrat lawmakers blame police escort ‘blocking Capitol’ for missing Pete Hegseth impeachment vote
Reps Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico, Laura Gillen of New York, and Jonathan Jackson of Illinois expressed intent to vote for Pete Hegseth's impeachment.
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Three Democrat lawmakers have alleged that a police escort blocking the Capitol prevented them from reaching in time to record their vote in the motion to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Eleven Democrat lawmakers and seven Republicans did not vote. The House republicans had introduced a procedural motion to kill Hegseth's impeachment which GOP lawmaker Thomas Massie had pushed for. The motion, on November 10, saw 211 votes in favor of ayes and 204 for the nays.
After the Republicans managed to quash the impeachment push against Hegseth, Michigan Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed spoke to CNN and urged his fellow Democrat lawmakers to “show up and do your job.”
Deep Dive
Hegseth faced an impeachment push from Massie for the actions of the US military in the Middle East and Latin America.
What Democrat lawmakers said about the police escort?
Representative Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico issued a formal statement on X, saying, “Tonight, House Republicans used a procedural motion to kill the impeachment of Pete Hegseth, by referring it to the Judiciary Committee.”
“Like other Members of Congress, Rep. Stansbury was blocked from entering the Capitol to vote due a traffic incident and a police escort of a bus during the vote. When she reached the chamber the vote had just gaveled out. She immediately filed a report of her vote of “NO” to the motion meant to kill the impeachment articles and refer them to the Judiciary Committee, as documented in the Congressional Record,” the statement added.
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“Pete Hegseth must be impeached now,” she concluded.
Representative Laura Gillen of New York wrote in agreement, “Like Rep. Stansbury, I was stuck behind the same police escort blocking the Capitol when Republicans closed the vote. I would have voted no and believe strongly that Pete Hegseth should be impeached.”
Meanwhile, Representative Jonathan L. Jackson of Illinois wrote, “Tonight, House Republicans voted to send the articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to the Judiciary Committee, a move designed to stall accountability without a direct vote on the merits.”
“While en route to the floor to oppose that motion, a traffic incident and a police-escorted bus caused a delay that resulted in the vote closing before I, along with other Members, could reach the chamber. I have since entered my NO vote in the Congressional Record,” he added.
“I remain firm in my position that Secretary Hegseth must be held accountable and impeached,” the Congressman further said.
Lawmakers' account called into question
A journalist for independent media page Drop Site News was reportedly in the area at the time and saw “nothing impeding traffic.”
A news report from DC News Now noted that a police chase after a shooting ended in a crash with a Metro bus. This crash took place in Southeast DC at Naylor Street and 30th Street, which is about 3.9 miles away from the Capitol.
At the time of writing, the DC police did not have any official statement out on a traffic incident or a police escort for a bus in the area near the Capitol.
