Pundits warn Trump hunt could backfire on Dems
Settling scores comes at cost
Democrats heady with their takeover of the House of Representatives would do well to avoid investigations and impeachment proceedings that might fuel President Trump’s 2020 re-election bid, political operatives say.
The midterm elections yielded newfound authority for Democrats who will now have the power to launch House committee investigations, issue subpoenas and even push for Trump’s impeachment.
“If Pelosi and company overshoot as Senate Democrats did in the Kavanaugh confirmation, they will hand President Trump re-election and the GOP the House back in 2020,” said GOP strategist Ford O’Connell.
He said Democrats — with their own electoral base to satisfy — have “no interest” in working with Trump on legislation as they want to “settle scores.”
New Hampshire Republican strategist Michael Dennehy — a former top adivisor to the late Trump rival John McCain — said he thinks Democrats will be able to restrain themselves and stick to policy, however as of now, the party is sending a “mixed message” filled with new, progressive voices.
Dennehy said voters don’t want to see an impeachment, “Americans want peace. They want the parties to come together and come up with solutions rather than more fighting, more backstabbing and more gridlock in Washington.”
Newly elected U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Boston), however, isn’t playing by the rules outlined by O’Connell and Dennehy.
“This president has proven time and again that he is morally and ethically unfit to lead, so impeachment is certainly on the table,” said Pressley in a statement.
U.S. Rep. Richard Neal also said he plans on targeting Trump. In a press conference held in Springfield yesterday, he told reporters that he will go after the presi- dent’s tax returns. “I think it’s a reminder that this has to be done so that legally it meets the law and I think that there are some precedents for this. But I hope that the president would do this on his own, largely because every president since Gerald R. Ford has voluntarily done this,” said Neal.
But U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, speaking on Boston Herald Radio Tuesday said that when it comes to impeachment, he is going to “wait and see” what happens with the Mueller investigation. In the meantime, McGovern said, “Democrats, if we’re smart, what we need to do is we need to help lead the effort to change the tone and have a more accommodating process.”
McGovern added, “We can restore some integrity to Congress.”
Democrats last had control of the House in 2010. Before Tuesday’s election, Democrats held 193 seats to the Republicans’ 235, with seven seats vacant. As of last night, Democrats hold 222 seats to the Republicans’ 196 seats, with 17 races still too close to call.