Candidate prediction: Democrats will take House, begin Trump impeachment
State Sen. Pat Spearman, a North Las Vegas Democratic candidate for Congress, predicts Democrats will take the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2018 elections and begin proceedings to impeach Donald Trump as president.
“So far there are already several reasons for articles of impeachment, drawn up in Congress, the least of which is not the emoluments clause,” Spearman said on Nevada Newsmakers, referring to a little-known rule that restricts members of the federal government from accepting payments from foreign governments.
“Once we take the House,” impeachment should proceed “if there is clear and compelling evidence, and there already is,” she said.
Impeachment proceedings begin in the House, according to federal law, and Democrats would likely need to regain the majority for the impeachment to get rolling.
The Democrats would need to hold the seats they already have in the U.S. House and capture 24 more in the November election to earn a majority, according to various projections. Already, 31 GOP members of the House have said they would not seek re-election.
“There are so many (reasons for impeachment), people have stopped naming them,” Spearman said. “But there is already clear and compelling evidence that says he has, in so many ways, already violated the office.”
Spearman said Trump’s impeachment would be a plank in her platform as a candidate in Nevada’s 4th Congressional District, which includes North Las Vegas and a large section of rural Nevada.
“Let me put it like this: If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck — and I understand that I am probably speaking disparagingly about ducks — then, yes,” she said. “If there is clear and compelling evidence, of which there already is, yes (it will be part of my platform).”
Spearman called Congress’ Republican leadership “enablers” of Trump.