On the morning of Wednesday, May 17th, Texas representative Al Green delivered a passionate address to Congress, calling for the impeachment of President Trump.
Trump's presidency to date has been wrought with controversy, ranging from political ties with Russia to unprecedented attacks on the media, and while the word "impeachment" has been floating around for quite some time, Wednesday was the first time it had been so explicitly demanded by a Member Of Congress.
Green made a point to highlight the importance of his call for impeachment, explaining his view that "[impeachment] is one of the highest callings that a member of Congress can address." The address comes on the heels of the firing of former-FBI director James Comey, who was heading the investigation of Russia's role in the 2016 presidential election.
Impact of Comey memo
Earlier in the week, James Comey revealed a memo he had written regarding Trump's request for him to stop his investigation of former national security advisor Michael Flynn, specifically regarding Flynn's untruthful accounts of his communication with Russia. According to Comey, Trump told him to drop the case, telling Comey that he "hopes [Comey] can let this go." Trump has been facing much criticism due to these accusations, with some in Congress feeling that "if the allegations in the Comey memo were true, those would be grounds for impeachment."
The critical reaction in both Congress and the media to the latest developments in the Comey incident have been some of the strongest yet in the short presidency of Donald Trump.
Furthermore, Al Green's call for impeachment is a noteworthy moment in the Trump era, and only time will tell how it impacts the future of the nation.
What happens next?
Though impeachment has officially been demanded by a member of Congress, a majority vote is needed in the House of Representatives for the process to actually begin.
It is important to note that impeachment does not declare a President guilty, it simply opens the investigation into the President's alleged wrongdoing. If found guilty, the Senate would also have to declare Trump guilty with a 2/3 vote for him to be removed from office.
For the time being, impeachment seems more like a distant possibility than a likely occurrence. As more is revealed about the situation surrounding Trump, Comey, and Russia, the clearer the necessary, next steps will become.
