Performative art indeed.
Multiple lawmakers were returning from an Elect Democratic Women event roughly 1.5 miles away on Pennsylvania Avenue when they were caught in bumper-to-bumper traffic on Independence Avenue. The Hillnoted that gridlock was worsened by a traffic accident and a police escort. Coincidentally weird. Interesting spin by Trump.
House Democrat says traffic incident prevented her and others from voting on Hegseth impeachment — The Hill
Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) said Tuesday that she and other lawmakers were unable to reach the Capitol in time to vote against a Republican effort to block the impeachment of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth because of a traffic incident and a police escort.
Massie had previously acknowledged his impeachment bid may not succeed immediately, but argued it could help push Trump to replace Hegseth before Democrats can launch their own impeachment process. The Kentucky congressman also said that removing Hegseth now would give the Senate time to approve a replacement while Republicans were still in power…for another 50 days or whatever…the Democrats will take control of both chambers of Congress in January following a successful midterm election that allowed them control of both chambers.
The missing Democratic votes exceeded the seven-vote margin by which the House referred Rep. Thomas Massie’s impeachment articles against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to committee. Massie, who lost re-election earlier this year to a Trump-backed opponent, has been critical of Trump and the war in Iran since it began in February. He had already incurred the president's ire for demanding the Trump administration release files on deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
(He had already incurred the president's ire for demanding the Trump administration release files on deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, then lost re-election earlier this year to a Trump-backed opponent. Coincidentally weird)
Meanwhile Trump celebrated Tuesday's outcome in a post on Truth Social, saying the effort "has miserably FAILED". "Again, Victories in Venezuela and Iran, the Best Recruitment Numbers in the History of the Military (Long waiting lists to get in!), and Spirit like rarely seen before, led to the EXONERATION (?) of a Great American Patriot," Trump said, referring to Hegseth.
That sounds so familiar for some reason
.US House blocks bid to impeach Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth — BBC News
Trump welcomes the outcome, praising Hegseth as a "Great American Patriot", but Democrats can try again next year.
.Exoneration is the formal act of officially clearing someone of guilt, blame, or criminal charges—typically after they have already been convicted—when new evidence proves their innocence or shows the conviction was invalid.
The phrase "total exoneration" is an emphatic or non-legal expression (frequently used in public or political discourse) meaning a complete, unconditional clearance from any accusation, suspicion, or wrongdoing.