Democratic Rep. Al Green (Texas) on Wednesday introduced a resolution of articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, speaking at length about Trump being unfit and deserving of removal from office.
"I rise today on behalf of the many who have concluded that enough is enough," Green said on the House floor.
Green said he recognized his view did not reflect those of Republicans or Democrats, but rather of "Americans."
"Resolved that Donald J. Trump, president of the United States of America, has undermined the integrity of his office with impunity and has brought disrepute on the presidency ... has betrayed his trust as president to the manifest injury of the American people and is unfit to be president, and is impeached pursuant to Article II, Section IV, of the Constitution of the United States of America," he said.
Green charged Trump with inciting white supremacy, sexism, bigotry, hatred, xenophobia, race-baiting, and racism while in office. The Texas Democrat attacked Trump over his proposed ban on Muslims while still a candidate, his remarks in August about fine people on "both sides" of the white supremacist protests and counter-protests in Charlottesville, Va., and his suggestion to police officers that they manhandle suspects before placing them in squad cars.
Green spoke for more than 23 minutes before yielding the floor.
Politico writer Jake Sherman reported a vote would be held not on whether to impeach Trump, but on whether to table Green's resolution.
IMPEACHMENT on House floor is not likely to pass. it marks a new phase in Hill battle vs. Trump. 1st D resolution to call for impeachment
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) October 11, 2017
to be clear, impeachment resolution is going to go down. the vote won’t be on impeachment. it will be on whether to table the resolution
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) October 11, 2017
However, Green later told Politico he was not going to force a vote on his measure, but he would soon:
Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) said he wants to give his colleagues more time to read and digest his proposal.
"There will be a vote. But what I’ve done thus far would not call for a vote," Green said in a phone interview. "This situation is very dynamic."
Green discussed an impeachment resolution on the House floor Wednesday, arguing that Trump had brought "disrepute on the presidency." Under procedural rules, Green can force a vote on the measure, even in the Republican-controlled House. But Green told POLITICO he opted against filing it as a so-called privileged motion, a move that would trigger a vote on the measure within days.
The only two presidents ever to be impeached by the House of Representatives are Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton, although both remained in office after being acquitted in the Senate. Richard Nixon faced likely removal from office before resigning over the Watergate scandal in 1974.
UPDATE, Thursday, 6:40 A.M.: This story was updated with Green telling Politico he would not file his impeachment measure as a privileged motion.