After Launch of ‘Impeachment August,’ 17 House Democrats Have Announced Support for Impeachment Inquiry

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 28, 2019
Contact: Emily Phelps | press@indivisible.org

135+ Lawmakers Now Back Impeachment Inquiry After Facing Increased Pressure From Constituents

Newsweek: “House Democrats Have Been Joining Impeachment Ranks After Becoming Targets Of Grassroots Coalition”

Washington, DC — As momentum continues to grow for impeachment during ‘Impeachment August,’ a coalition of grassroots organizations led by Indivisible, MoveOn, Need to Impeach, and Stand Up America is ramping up pressure during the August congressional recess to demand that lawmakers immediately begin a formal impeachment inquiry into Donald Trump.

As MSNBC Anchor Chris Hayes talked about on his show this week, momentum continued to grow throughout ‘Impeachment August,’ with at least 136 House Democrats—about three-fifths of the caucus—now publicly supporting an impeachment inquiry. Similarly, Newsweek reported last week that “the growing number of House Democrats backing an inquiry during the six-week hiatus...shows that members have likely responded to increased pressure from voters back home at public events and town halls.”

Since the launch of ‘Impeachment August,’ at least 17 members have announced their support for an inquiry, including several who faced questions from our community members at events or were otherwise targeted by the coalition, including:

  • Assistant House Speaker Ben Ray Lujan (NM-03)

  • Rep. Bill Foster (IL-11), who said he “spent a lot of time listening to my constituents on this” when he announced support for an inquiry this week.

  • Rep. Debra Haaland (NM-01)

  • Rep. Jim Langevin (RI-02), who cited pressure from constituents and even said, “The vast majority of feedback that I have received from my constituents has been in support of an impeachment inquiry."

  • Rep. David Price (NC-04)

  • Rep. Brad Schneider (IL-10)

  • Rep. Mark Takano (CA-41)

  • Rep. Lauren Underwood (IL-14)

The grassroots actions have been driven through ImpeachmentAugust.org, a new website created by the four organizations to empower constituents to find town halls. The coalition has also driven constituents to the events of dozens of lawmakers who have not yet backed an inquiry but are facing increased pressure from their constituents, including:

“In the past few weeks, we’ve seen more and more representatives publicly come out in favor of impeachment. This did not happen on its own. It happened because members of all our grassroots organizations came out and demanded action,” said Ezra Levin, the Co-Executive director of Indivisible. “Now, House leadership must listen to the people and take real, concrete steps toward impeachment. Statements of condemnation from our representatives are not enough. Trump's conduct is unacceptable and that we will not stand by as he continues his lawlessness. Only through impeachment can we make it clear that Trump is not above the law.”

"As voters and grassroots activists continued to make clear this August, we expect Congress to do what the Constitution demands: hold Trump accountable for his high crimes and misdemeanors by moving forward with impeachment," said MoveOn Civic Action Executive Director Anna Galland. "House Democrats must not allow a misguided political calculus to prevent them from doing the right thing. Regardless of how the Senate would respond, if the House fails to impeach, it risks setting a precedent that Trump's extreme corruption, abuse of power, and disregard for the Constitution and our democracy are acceptable. They are not."

“Members of Congress who have recently voiced their support for impeachment have shown true moral leadership and political backbone. These members of Congress came home and chose their constituents over misguided pressure from the out of touch D.C. establishment who is afraid of doing the right thing and holding Donald Trump accountable. Voters want impeachment, the facts are there and when members return from August recess, they will have to stand up for their constituents and the Constitution,” said Nathaly Arriola, Executive Director of Need to Impeach.

"Speaker Pelosi is unquestionably feeling the pressure on impeachment because constituents have shown up and spoken out all across the country—from events in her home district in California to rallies in New Jersey and town halls in Texas," said Stand Up America Founder and President Sean Eldridge. "With a majority of House Democrats now supporting an inquiry because of the momentum gained during 'Impeachment August,' Speaker Pelosi should stop ignoring the will of her caucus."

The coalition will continue to mobilize their communities through the end of August recess and thereafter to pressure House Democrats to open a formal impeachment inquiry.

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ABOUT THE INDIVISIBLE PROJECT

The Indivisible Project is a registered 501(c)(4) nonprofit. Our mission is to cultivate and lift up a grassroots movement of local groups to defeat the Trump agenda, elect progressive leaders, and realize bold progressive policies. Across the nation, thousands of local groups are using the Indivisible Guide to hold their members of Congress accountable. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.