A minority in the House of Representatives that launches impeachment proceedings against a president or government official often does so to inform voters, draw attention to misconduct, or generate attention.
Most minority party impeachment talks go nowhere because the minority party doesn’t have the votes to do anything. In the House of Representatives it is simple majority rule. There is no filibuster or 60-vote rule, as in the Senate.
In the House of Representatives, the Speaker has overwhelming control over what comes up, meaning the party that has the majority also has the speakership, and almost universal control.
Supporters of the minority party are growing frustrated and demanding that their party do something, but House rules make it difficult for those without the votes to do much.
This reality is why so many members of the House of Representatives would rather resign than serve in the minority.
Being part of the minority in the House of Representatives, members face all the criticism and pressure without any power.
When a majority in the House of Representatives is incompetent, small, or both, opportunities arise for the minority to do more than most ever get the chance to do.
The situation surrounding the possible impeachment of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem is shaping up to be one of those moments.
On Wednesday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) provided some insight into how Democrats will move forward with Noem’s impeachment.
Mike Johnson’s math problem is that the Republican majority in the House of Representatives currently has 218 votes. Johnson cannot afford to lose even one vote on any issue.
If pressure continues to mount on Noem to leave, and Trump refuses to fire her, Republicans in the House of Representatives are expected to support an immigration policy that is deeply unpopular with the majority of Americans, and for a Republican majority clinging to life, it is only a matter of time until Republicans in the House of Representatives abandon ship and throw Secretary Noem under the bus.
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