Sanders says he won’t back Schumer for Senate majority leader – National & International News
Sanders says he won’t back Schumer for Senate majority leader
Popular progressive Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders announced on Tuesday that he will not back longtime Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer (NY) for Majority leader in the new Congress. Sanders did not offer a pointed criticism of Schumer or his leadership, but said it was time for a change to meet the political moment. However, neither Sanders nor any other Senator has publicly backed a replacement.
Sanders’ announcement came as popular sentiment among many Democratic voters has turned against both Schumer and House Democratic Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (NY), who is most likely to be the next Speaker of the House. Recent polls show that both Schumer and Jeffries have negative approval ratings, and an online petition to choose someone other that Jeffries as Speaker has received over 1 million signatures as of Tuesday.
Despite some Democratic House members saying they have received hundreds of calls to back someone other than Jeffries for Speaker, current and incoming Democratic Representatives still seem most likely to support him. Most Democratic Senators who have spoken on the record have also said they will back Schumer.
House GOP shelves Hegseth impeachment vote, paving way for Democrat effort in 2027
On Monday, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) introduced eight articles of impeachment against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. The articles alleged various abuses of power by Hegseth, including: waging war on Iran and Yemen without Congressional approval; extrajudicial strikes on boats in the Caribbean and Pacific; the “kidnapping: of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro; threats against members of Congress; and ignoring laws protecting civilians in war.
Today the House voted to refer the matter to the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee, which Massie had warned would essentially block any chance of an impeachment vote reaching the floor during this Congress. The vote came after a press conference by Hegseth in which he remained defiant and dismissed the effort to impeach him as a farce. Several Democrats, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, missed today’s vote. Had they been present, the motion to refer might have been defeated.
Several leading Democrats have expressed eagerness to investigate impeach Hegseth after they take control of the House and Senate in January. Democrat-led impeachment hearing are likely to be far more intense and wide-ranging than any effort the Republicans might have mounted had Massie succeeded in getting a vote. Even before Democrats’ sweeping wins in nationwide midterms contests last week, reports indicated that numerous current and former Pentagon officials had already reached out to Democrats to offer testimony and documents that could be used in a Congressional probe of Hegseth.
