Speaker Mike Johnson said Wednesday he is canceling planned Thursday votes and sending members home for a seven-week recess a day earlier than expected.
The decision lops another day off a preelection legislative schedule that Johnson had already truncated by two weeks. It also allows members to avoid having to take a vote on an impeachment resolution introduced by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) targeting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, which would have hit the floor no later than Thursday under House rules.
Here’s a summary of the articles, which Johnson calls “ridiculous”, courtesy of Marcy Wheeler.
Going to war in violation of the War Powers Act Section 2(c) (Massie cites Joe Kent’s resignation letter to support a claim Iran posed no imminent threat).
Following illegal orders to go to war in violation of the WPA Section 5(c).
Remaining at war after failing to submit necessary paperwork under WPA 5(b).
Failing to minimize civilian casualties (citing the Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School massacre).
Murderboating 221 people.
Censoring Senator Mark Kelly.
Kidnapping Maduro.
Starting a war against the Houthis.
Those seem like the opposite of “ridiculous”.
Johnson claims that the articles will be tabled immediately. So did he cut short the session? Once again, this embarrassment to the office of Speaker doesn’t have the votes. Marcy Wheeler notes in the post linked above that Republicans lost a vote on a War Powers resolution, and they would likely lose this one, with a similar group of Republicans voting to impeach.
It’s interesting to see that someone who has a serious axe to grind — Massie — can force Johnson to do something embarrassing. We’ll see what happens when Congress re-convenes after the election. The question of whether Hegseth is more or less likely to be convicted if the vote were held next year is kind of interesting. I doubt that there are enough Republican votes to convict in the Senate in November or next year, no matter how well the election goes for Democrats. Still, if anyone deserves impeachment, it’s Hegseth, and the political timing now, with gas prices going nuts, is great. Too bad Democrats didn’t do this — hell, they could have even made it an “affordability impeachment.”
This adjournment will be raw red meat for ads, speeches, press releases and debates in contested House races.
