Representative Brad Sherman formally introduced articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump on the House floor on Wednesday afternoon. In a statement released by his office on Wednesday, Sherman says he's introducing the measure to protect the U.S. from the administration's abuse of power.
"I am introducing Articles of Impeachment to begin a long process to protect our country from abuse of power, obstruction of justice, and impulsive, ignorant incompetence," Sherman said.
The measure, H.R. 438 accuses Trump of obstruction of justice, and seeking to "use his authority to hinder and cause the termination" of an investigation into his former national security adviser Michael Flynn by former FBI Director, James Comey. Sherman's bill says Trump obstructed justice "through threatening, and then terminating, James Comey."
Sherman's statement also brings up recent revelations from Donald Trump Jr. after he published an email exchange between himself and a Russian lawyer who said they had incriminating information about Hillary Clinton's campaign they wanted to offer.
"Recent disclosures by Donald Trump Jr. indicate that Trump's campaign was eager to receive assistance from Russia. It now seems likely that the President had something to hide when he tried to curtail the investigation of National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and the wider Russian probe. I believe his conversations with, and subsequent firing of, FBI Director James Comey constitute Obstruction of Justice," Sherman said in the statement.
The 11-term Democrat is the first to circulate articles of impeachment. Rep Al Green (D-Texas), is the only other co-sponsor of the measure.
Sherman's bill is unlikely to get too far in the Republican-controlled House, but that doesn't seem to discourage the Los Angeles representative. In fact, Sherman says he hopes the articles might scare the administration into cleaning up their act.
Introducing Articles of Impeachment will have two possible outcomes. First, I have slight hope it will inspire an ‘intervention’ in the White House. If Impeachment is real, if they actually see Articles, perhaps we will see incompetency replaced by care. Perhaps uncontrollable impulses will be controlled. And perhaps the danger our nation faces will be ameliorated.
At least fifty percent of House Representatives must agree to impeach the president. The articles are then forwarded to the upper House where it takes a two-third majority of Senators to convict and remove a president from office.