Rep. Steve Cohen said Friday he believes “impeachable offenses have been committed,” following the release of special counsel Robert Mueller’s redacted report investigating election interference and obstruction by President Trump’s campaign.
“I believe impeachable offenses have been committed, and I believe it’s worthwhile to put in the history’s files what this man has done and impeach him,” the Tennessee Democrat said in an interview with MSNBC.
Mr. Cohen added he does not think impeachment “is going to happen politically” and suggested censuring the president from Congress as a compromise.
“I think a middle ground would be a censure. We have censured presidents before in the House of Representatives. That could pass. It would at least put a historical note to the fact that this man’s conduct in regard to his obstruction of justice is something that should be noted with an official resolution. So, I think we can do that,” the congressman said.
“But I know the base wants impeachment. They want impeachment badly,” he added.
Mr. Cohen is the latest Democrat to dissent from House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, who wrote in an op-ed that pursuing impeachment based on the Mueller report was “not worthwhile.”
Rep. Jamie Raskin, Maryland Democrat, said impeachment “should not be a fetish … but it shouldn’t be a taboo, either.”
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