House Democrats on Friday took a major step forward in their legal fight against President Donald Trump — one that looks much like the beginning of impeachment, even as Speaker Nancy Pelosi continues to resist a formal inquiry.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler’s announcement on Friday that the House is formally seeking special counsel Robert Mueller’s grand-jury information complicates the far more cautious message on impeachment coming from Pelosi and her top deputies.
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Nadler (D-N.Y.) said the action “in effect” is part of an impeachment inquiry — though one has not been formally launched — and in petitioning a federal court for the grand-jury evidence, House Democrats put in writing for the first time that they are actively considering whether impeachment is warranted.
“We are continuing an investigation of the president’s malfeasances,” Nadler said. “And we will consider what we have to consider, including whether we should recommend articles of impeachment to the House. That’s the job of our committee.”
But on the same day, Pelosi reiterated that she’s still not ready to endorse a push to launch impeachment proceedings, and dismissed the idea that she was feeling pressure from her caucus.
“We will proceed when we have what we need to proceed — not one day sooner,” the California Democrat said at her weekly press conference.
