US: Vulnerable Democrats fall in line behind Trump impeachment

Despite impeachment proceedings, however, Trump's approval ratings are high

Donald-Trump-AFP File photo of US President Donald Trump | AFP

Utah Democrat Ben McAdams told I will vote yes, to reporters. He confirmed that he will vote to impeach Trump. 

About a dozen of the 31 most vulnerable House Democrats will vote for formal abuse and obstruction charges against Trump this week.

Trump is facing impeachment on two charges. One says he abused power and pressured Ukraine to investigate Democratic rival, Joe Biden. The other says he obstructed Congress by trying to block the House investigation and its oversight duties, thus thwarting the nation's system of checks and balances.

Democratic House representative Joe Cunningham, who said that he supported the Articles of impeachment noted that the House has passed legislation to lower prescription drugs and ban offshore drilling.

Impeachment is sensitive in Virginia, too. Representative Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA officer, long insisted on focusing on issues other than impeachment. Then a whistleblower report on Trump's July 25 phone call with Ukraine's president revealed a pressure campaign to benefit him politically.

Despite impeachment proceedings, however, Trump's approval ratings are high, according to a poll-find on Monday. 

The Quinnipiac University survey said Trump has a high of 43 per cent for his job approval and 51 per cent opposed his impeachment, whereas 45 per cent backed his removal from office. 

The president abused his high office to withhold military aid to Ukraine unless they investigated his Democratic rival Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden to expose corruption. And by such conduct, the House Judiciary Committee says that Trump has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to national security and the Constitution if allowed to remain in office.

The House vote means Trump is on the brink of becoming only the third impeached president in American history.

For the House Democrats who are headed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the votes are a melting pot of sorts. Some Democrats have been reluctant to back impeachment and therefore announcements on impeachment from the Democrats were tightly controlled, yet in some cases raucously received.

Some have even been poised to leave the party over it. Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, who opposes impeachment, lost at least six staff members Monday after he told them he was switching parties to become a Republican.

In Michigan, Representative Elissa Slotkin was both heckled and applauded as she declared that she'll vote for both articles. Her experience as a former intelligence officer, she said, won out over questions about her political future.

Michigan is a special focus of Trump's. Vice President Mike Pence is taking a bus tour across Michigan this week, ending at Trump's rally Wednesday in Battle Creek.

With much of the attention turning to the Senate trial, the House Democrats already were pivoting to emphasize their work on issues close to home.