In Change Of Heart, Harry Reid Comes Out Swinging For Impeachment Inquiry

on December 8, 2016 in Washington, DC.
WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 08: U.S. Senate Minority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) speaks during his leadership portrait unveiling ceremony December 8, 2016 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The leadership portrait u... WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 08: U.S. Senate Minority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) speaks during his leadership portrait unveiling ceremony December 8, 2016 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The leadership portrait unveiling ceremony was held to honor the outgoing Democratic leader. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

In a sudden change of heart, former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) now says Democrats should start an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, according to a Tuesday USA Today report.

“It’s not the right thing to do nothing,” Reid told USA Today. “It’s not the right thing to jump into impeachment without doing an inquiry.”

Reid had previously warned Democrats against impeachment efforts, arguing that they couldn’t “afford” the political risk given that Senate Republicans would block impeachment anyway.

“If you look at what happened following the impeachment of President Clinton, his popularity rose dramatically,” the former senator told NBC reporter Chuck Todd in April. “We have just a short time until the next election.”

However, Reid now believes that it’s pointless for Democrats to wait for support from Republicans, who are “going arm-in-arm with Trump, right over the cliff” anyway.

According to Reid, Democrats should start the impeachment inquiry “to find out how the public reacts” and possibly sway its opinion in the process.

A spokesperson for Reid told USA Today on Tuesday that Reid had spoken with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).

Latest News

Notable Replies

  1. Key quote: “A spokesperson for Reid told USA Today on Tuesday that Reid had spoken with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).”

  2. He didn’t do this by accident…

  3. DEMS WILL CONTINUE TO DO NOTHING!!!1111111111!!! ## :scream:

  4. “Reid now believes that it’s pointless for Democrats to wait for support from Republicans, who are ‘going arm-in-arm with Trump, right over the cliff’ anyway.”

    “You’re gonna need a bigger cliff.”

    (h/t Chief Brody)

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

46 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for ncsteve Avatar for fargo116 Avatar for george_spiggott Avatar for irasdad Avatar for sniffit Avatar for sickneffintired Avatar for topchap Avatar for jaybeeraybee Avatar for darrtown Avatar for pshah Avatar for caltg Avatar for castor_troy Avatar for khyber900 Avatar for tpr Avatar for rhs1963 Avatar for j_publicus Avatar for maximus Avatar for frantastic Avatar for skeptical Avatar for dominic Avatar for justruss Avatar for carolson Avatar for paul_lukasiak

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: