Two newly elected Democratic House members selected to serve on the House Judiciary Committee are also on the record supporting the impeaching of President Donald Trump.
The committee selection of Reps. Joe Neguse (Colo.) and Veronica Escobar (Texas) could be important, given that the Judiciary Committee heard the matter first before sending Clinton and Nixon impeachments to the full House.
Neguse's 2nd Congressional District in Colorado is primarily based in Boulder, a liberal stronghold in the state. Following his victory, Neguse minced no words about impeachment when appearing on MSNBC's
"Kasie DC":
Kasie Hunt: Based on what you know now, do you think there is evidence that would support impeaching President Trump?
Neguse: I do. I think there is sufficient evidence in the public square to indicate that this president has violated the constitution and ultimately, has committed high crimes and misdemeanors that would warrant impeachment.
There was a vote on the House floor, over a year ago, in which Representative Green, I believe, from Texas essentially initiated the process by which a full investigation into whether the president has ultimately committed impeachable offenses could take place. I support that then, and I support that now.
Comments on impeachment by Escobar date to the earliest months of her campaign.
In April of 2018, Escobar at first suggested impeachment should hinge on results of the Muller investigation, but then grew more bold in a lengthy interview with the Texas Tribune:
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ESCOBAR: That's why I say I think we have to wait until the investigation is over and wait and see.
Texas Tribune: So you're not prepared to say now that you think that should happen?
ESCOBAR: Oh, I do think it should happen.
Texas Tribune: You think he should be impeached?
ESCOBAR: I do.
Texas Tribune: You do?
ESCOBAR: I do.
Impeachment is an issue that has split Democrats, both during the 2018 campaign, as well as after the November vote delivered control of the House of Representatives to Democrats.
As one example, most Democrats were on the defensive just as the new Congress was being sworn in over comments from newly elected member Rashida Tlaib (Mich.), in which she was caught on video promising her party would "impeach the motherfucker."
Having just retaken the gavel as Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) signaled hesitation in response to Tlaib's remarks.
"I do think that we want to be unified and bring people together. Impeachment is a very divisive approach to take and we shouldn't take it … without the facts," Pelosi said at an MSNBC town hall at her alma mater, Trinity University in Washington.
Other Democratic members of the judiciary committee who voted to move impeachment proceedings forward in a vote in December 2017 include Sheila Jackson Lee (Tex.), Steve Cohen (Tenn.), Karen Bass (Calif.), Cedric Richmond (La.), Ted Lieu (Calif.), Jamie Raskin (Md.), and Pramila Jayapal (Wa.).
Neither office returned requests for comment on whether their views on impeachment have changed, or if their previously expressed views played a role in their selection to the committee.