The U.S. House of Representatives has blocked a move to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a decision that has stunned many in Washington. The motion, which would have sent the impeachment articles to the Judiciary Committee for further consideration, was defeated 211-204 on Tuesday. The vote was largely along party lines, with Republicans supporting the motion and Democrats opposing it. However, the absence of 11 Democratic members proved decisive; had they been present, the Democrats would have had enough votes to defeat the motion and force a full House vote on the impeachment itself.
Republican Congressman Thomas Massie introduced the impeachment articles, but the effort was led by Democrats who accused Hegseth of abusing power and conducting illegal military operations. Massie, the only Republican to vote against the motion, called it a “procedural motion to kill the resolution.”
Several Democrats cited travel delays or personal emergencies for their absence. Representative Strickland, Jackson, Stansbury, and Gillen blamed traffic delays in Washington, D.C.; Pelosi was attending a veterans event in her home state; Correa was in California for a health procedure; and Horsford cited a personal emergency. Pettersen, who helped draft the impeachment articles, said she was “denied the ability to vote on this motion.”
With the current Congress set to end in eight weeks, the procedural move effectively stalls the impeachment drive for the remainder of the term. On January 3, Democrats will take control of both the House and Senate, potentially reopening the issue. President Donald Trump praised the outcome, declaring the impeachment effort had “miserably FAILED!”
Source: Al Jazeera
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