I’m working on a new whip list right now. I’ll update this post with a refreshed whip list at the bottom of the page once I’ve collected the freshest batch. Last I checked we were between 138-148 House Democrats in favor of an impeachment inquiry or impeachment. The magic number is 218.
If you haven’t called your representative and asked them to support impeachment inquiry, please do so. If your representative already supports a formal inquiry, thank them to maintain their perception of public support.
Stress the urgency to take action — we can all see the Trump administration is degrading before our eyes. The whistleblower complaint needs investigation and only a formal impeachment inquiry will have the legal clout to override any attempts to obstruct investigation.
Congressional switchboard: (202) 224-3121 or use Resistbot.
Please make the effort to look up your representative’s local office for the phone number. Some constituents have reported their rep’s voicemail is full; having the local number will provide a fallback to contact them.
Recruit like-minded constituents, even kids, to call their representatives. Yes, youngsters who are too young to vote are still constituents entitled to representation.
It’s time.
. . .
UPDATE — 2:50 P.M. EDT —
I can’t update my own list fast enough right now. Here’s where three news outlets stand on their whip counts:
POLITICO: Who supports impeachment? 211 Democrats support impeachment or impeachment inquiry, 28 Democrats who don’t support impeachment or impeachment inquiry — yet as of last update 9/24/19
Looks like NBC and Politico caught up to each other. If this is accurate, we only need 8-9 Democrats yet to sign on to secure an authorizing resolution.
This is the current list I have of Dems who are not yet in support of an impeachment inquiry. Some are no surprise like Tulsi Gabbard, this general election’s Jill Stein. Or Henry Cuellar, who is far more conservative than his district — just asking for a primary to take him out.
Anthony Brindisi NY-22 R+6
Cheri Bustos IL-17 D+3
Henry Cuellar TX-28 D+9
Joe Cunningham SC-1 R+10
Sharice Davids KS-3 R+4
Rosa DeLauro CT-3 D+9
Tulsi Gabbard HI-2 D+19
Jared Golden ME-2 R+2
Vicente Gonzalez TX-15 D+7
Ron Kind WI-3 EVEN
Conor Lamb PA-17 (R+2.5 under 2016 map, may change)
Al Lawson Jr. FL-5 D+12
Dan Lipinski IL-3 D+6
Ben McAdams UT-4 R+13
Stephanie Murphy FL-7 EVEN
Tom O’Halleran AZ-1 R+2
Collin Peterson MN-7 (House Ag committee chair) R+12
Max Rose NY-11 R+3
Linda Sánchez CA-38 D+17
Kurt Schrader OR-5 EVEN
Terri Sewell AL-7 D+20
Donna Shalala FL-27 D+5
Xochitl Torres Small NM-2 R+6
Jeff Van Drew NJ-2 R+1
Susan Wild PA-7 (D+1.1 under 2016 map, may change)
Frederica Wilson FL-24 D+34
But Wilson, whose district is rated D+34? or Sánchez, who’s served for 16 years in a D+17 district?
Especially under a continuing blue wave, when the 2020 vote will be a referendum on Trump?
If one of these representatives are yours, call them and ask them to get behind a formal impeachment inquiry. Contact info above in this post.
UPDATE — 3:45 P.M. 25-SEP-2019 —
We are soooo close! Thank you to these Democrats who’ve finally stepped over to the right side of history:
Cheri Bustos IL-17 D+3
Henry Cuellar TX-28 D+9
Rosa DeLauro CT-3 D+9
Dan Lipinski IL-3 D+6
Stephanie Murphy FL-7 EVEN
Linda Sánchez CA-38 D+17
Terri Sewell AL-7 D+20
Donna Shalala FL-27 D+5
According to NBC’s list these eight representatives now bring the total number to 216 in support of a formal impeachment inquiry.
These folks are still Undecided or No votes:
Anthony Brindisi NY-22 R+6
Joe Cunningham SC-1 R+10
Sharice Davids KS-3 R+4
Tulsi Gabbard HI-2 D+19
Jared Golden ME-2 R+2
Vicente Gonzalez TX-15 D+7
Ron Kind WI-3 EVEN
Conor Lamb PA-17 (R+2.5 under 2016 map, may change)
Al Lawson Jr. FL-5 D+12
Ben McAdams UT-4 R+13
Tom O’Halleran AZ-1 R+2
Collin Peterson MN-7 (House Ag committee chair) R+12
Max Rose NY-11 R+3
Kurt Schrader OR-5 EVEN
Xochitl Torres Small NM-2 R+6
Jeff Van Drew NJ-2 R+1
Susan Wild PA-7 (D+1.1 under 2016 map, may change)
Frederica Wilson FL-24 D+34
What the heck is going on with the Ag Committee chair? As if Trump’s disastrous handling of trade hasn’t been enough reason to seek impeachment before this solicitation for foreign assistance to cheat his way into re-election.
And what’s going on with the lingering holdouts who are in D+ districts? This is a blue wave; the House was won in 2018 because the people wanted the White House restrained. They still want him restrained. Get on the right side of this.
If one of the holdouts is your representative, you know what to do.
Congressional switchboard: (202) 224-3121.
https://www.emptywheel.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/WristWatchClock_Tristan-Colangelo-Unsplash_24SEP2019_bluetrans-2.jpg8441500Raynehttps://www.emptywheel.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Logo-Web.pngRayne2019-09-24 11:26:002019-10-18 11:25:26Whip It Good: Time Has Come Today [UPDATE-3]
[NB: Check the byline, thanks. Updates will appear at the bottom of the post before the whip count table. /~Rayne]
I was really torn about sharing this video — watching it induced a wicked flashback to my salad days. As problematic as the images in it are now, the lyrics are effective and the tune snappy.
Just the thing to get you pumped up to make a phone call to your representative. Now crack that whip!
Since the last Whip It post we’ve picked up these Democrats in support of an impeachment inquiry:
Rep. Lauren Underwood IL-14 (rated R+5*)
Rep. Anthony Brown MD-4 (rated D+28)
Rep. Ben Ray Luján NM-3 (rated D+8)
As the current Assistant Speaker and former Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair during the last session, Luján is the highest ranking representative to commit to date.
According to POLITICO’s most recent count, we’re at 131 Democrats in support of an impeachment inquiry. We need 87 more to pass an authorizing resolution.
We’re entering the tough slog. It’s not going to be pretty when representatives are offering tepid support in spite of their very blue district, or flipping only after claiming their district is too conservative. I’m rather annoyed at Anthony Brown, for example, whose district is D+28 — ridiculous to string this out so long and make such a tepid statement when declaring support.
There are 104 Democrats who have not yet committed to supporting an impeachment inquiry. This means 17 Democrats can remain uncommitted and a resolution would still pass.
But there are 75 Democrats in districts ranked D+0 or better who have yet to get behind an inquiry. There are no excuses for this; surely they can see the 2018 wave will continue, especially as a recession begins and Trump continues to put the nation at risk nearly every damned time he tweets.
12 of the 29 Democrats in R+1 or worse districts must also eventually give their support. They will lose their existing Democratic base if they don’t. If they don’t already see obvious reasons why an impeachment inquiry must begin, they need to be primaried for having failed their oath of office.
You’ll notice if you haven’t in past Whip It posts that I’ve given up on the House GOP members. They are wholly committed to a transnational organized crime syndicate’s omertà, willing to kowtow to foreign entities to obtain continuing support, willing to turn a blind eye to the many gross failings of the Trump administration.
They’ve completely thrown in the towel on democracy by refusing to protect voting infrastructure and ensuring every citizen has access to the polls.
Their oath of fealty to their syndicate is stronger than their loyalty to their fellow Americans and the Constitution.
This is the moment of differentiation for Democrats. This is when the rubber meets the road, when bullshit walks. Do not be found wanting when weighed and measured; do not be Republican light. Be a true (little r) republican and defend this democracy.
That goes for us as constituents as well. It’s still upon us to keep this republic, showing up at town halls our representatives have during the remaining summer recess, by calling their offices in D.C. or locally, by sending faxes or using Resistbot to make our sentiments heard.
Congressional switchboard: (202) 224-3121
Call your representative (and only your representative) and ask them to support an impeachment inquiry, even if they are a Republican. If your representative has already thrown their support behind an inquiry, do be sure to thank them.
This whip count will continue to be updated. Share in comments any new announcements by House members throwing support behind an impeachment inquiry.
And thank community member harpie for staying on top of the count as new commitments are made.
UPDATE-1 — 7:00 PM EDT —
Looks like another Democrat declared support for an impeachment inquiry while I was drafting this post.
Rep. Jim Langevin RI-2 (D+6)
UPDATE-2 — 11:30 PM EDT —
Oops, my count was off by two and now I know why. I missed Ruppersberger and Trone.
UPDATE: POLITICO’s official impeachment inquriy whip count is at 131 Democrats (132 overall w/ Amash).
Come on, Hoyer. Your Maryland district is a D+11 like Ruppersberger’s. Don’t think for a moment we’ve forgotten you.
UPDATE-3 — 3:40 PM EDT 22-AUG-2019 —
Add another to the tally, now at 134.
Rep. Bruce Schneider IL-10 (D+10)
UPDATE-4 — 6:00 PM EDT 22-AUG-2019 —
Feels like things are picking up steam. We have two more to add to the count:
Rep. Bill Keating MD-09 (D+4)
Rep. Mark Takano CA-41 (D+12)
That’s 136. Who’s next?
UPDATE-5 — 5:50 PM EDT 23-AUG-2019 —
Politico added Ro Khanna to their count; he’s made tepid statements over the last two months like Anthony Brown MD-4 so we hadn’t added him before now. I guess we’ll add him and then hold his feet to the fire to ensure he delivers, hmm?
Rep. Ro Khanna CA-17 (D+25)
Really no excuses not to be bolder when you’re in a true blue district. Be a leader, for crying out loud.
Emphasis indicates those who have committed to supporting an inquiry since the last whip update.
(1) Vice Chair, House Democratic Caucus
(2) Chair, House Ethics Committee
(3) Chair, House Foreign Affairs Committee
(4) Chair, House Appropriations Committee
(5) Chair, House Rules Committee
(6) Chair, House Armed Services Committee
(7) Member, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
(8) Chair, House Homeland Security Committee
(9) Chair, House Small Business Committee
(10) Chair, House Energy and Commerce Committee
(11) Chair, House Veterans’ Affairs Committee
* Ranking by Cook Partisan Voter Index (2018), indicating degree to which a House congressional district leans toward one of the two major parties.
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We could use a boost now as we work our way through the dog days of summer. Take a look at how far we’ve come even if it seems too slowly, measure our progress.
As of today we have 123 House Democrats supporting an impeachment inquiry.
This means we’ve picked up four more votes since the last Whip It post.
We need 95 more representatives to support a resolution approving an impeachment inquiry. It’s slow but steady progress.
Sure, we continue to hear that the House Judiciary Committee is working toward impeachment. HJC chair Jerry Nadler told CNN last week,
“This is formal impeachment proceedings…We are investigating all the evidence, we’re gathering the evidence. And we will at the conclusion of this — hopefully by the end of the year — vote to vote articles of impeachment to the House floor. Or we won’t. That’s a decision that we’ll have to make. But that’s exactly the process we’re in right now.”
But the HJC neither has a majority vote approving an impeachment inquiry within the committee nor a majority of the votes across the entire House — yet.
This only fuels the right-wing pundits who assure us attempts to impeach are doomed, DOOMED, they say.
Bah. Do take note of the source, like conservative think tanks’ thinky-tankers who are paid to both promote their conservative donor’s aspirations and sow fear, uncertainty, and doubt.
As I’ve noted before in previous Whip It posts, it’s still on us to make this happen by showing up at town halls our representatives have over the summer recess, by calling their offices in D.C. or locally, by sending faxes or using Resistbot to make our sentiments heard.
Congressional switchboard: (202) 224-3121
Call your representative (and only your representative) and ask them to support an impeachment inquiry. If your representative has already thrown their support behind an inquiry, do be sure to thank them.
It’s also time to take note of states in which too few Dems have thrown their support behind an inquiry. Like Connecticut — what the hell, Nutmeg State? What the actual hell?
This whip count will continue to be updated. Share in comments any new announcements by House members throwing support behind an impeachment inquiry.
Emphasis indicates those who have committed to supporting an inquiry since the last whip update.
(1) Vice Chair, House Democratic Caucus
(2) Chair, House Ethics Committee
(3) Chair, House Foreign Affairs Committee
(4) Chair, House Appropriations Committee
(5) Chair, House Rules Committee
(6) Chair, House Armed Services Committee
(7) Member, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
(8) Chair, House Homeland Security Committee
(9) Chair, House Small Business Committee
(10) Chair, House Energy and Commerce Committee
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At the time we had 85 votes in support of an impeachment inquiry representing 39% of the needed 218 votes to pass a resolution authorizing an inquiry’s formal launch.
Today we’re better than half way to 218. The table below reflects the new tally of 118 House Democrats and one Independent in support of an impeachment inquiry. We now need 100 or 45% more of the House Dems.
It’s still on us to make this happen by showing up at town halls our representatives have over the summer recess, by calling their offices in D.C. or locally, by sending faxes or using Resistbot to make our sentiments heard.
Congressional switchboard: (202) 224-3121
This whip count will continue to be updated. Share in comments any new announcements by House members throwing support behind an impeachment inquiry.
House Judiciary Chair Jerry Nadler has said his committee has “in effect” been conducting an impeachment inquiry, but his statement does not have the full force that a majority-supported resolution would have. It’d be much harder for a federal court to deny Constitutional powers to an inquiry authorized by a majority of the House. Nadler and the Judiciary Committee (HJC) filed an application for the release of grand jury materials (pdf) on July 26, relying on Watergate- and Clinton-era arguments to bolster this request. I’m not a lawyer but I think this could go either way after the recent McKeever v. Barr decision.
House Oversight is other committee steadily chipping away at Trump’s corruption. Chair Elijah Cummings must be making serious inroads if Trump’s bashing of Baltimore and Cummings as a Maryland rep is any indication. I saw a chart somewhere outlining the progress of Oversight investigations but I can’t find it now — it must have terrified Trump and his minions. Oversight’s work also looks like a precursor to an impeachment inquiry, but whether it can likewise wield clout like an impeachment inquiry remains to be seen.
The surest approach is an impeachment inquiry, freighted with authority directly from the Constitution. Let’s get one in gear — call your representatives. And do thank those who’ve already thrown behind an inquiry.
Emphasis indicates those who have committed to supporting an inquiry since the last whip update.
(1) Vice Chair, House Democratic Caucus
(2) Chair, House Ethics Committee
(3) Chair, House Foreign Affairs Committee
(4) Chair, House Appropriations Committee
(5) Chair, House Rules Committee
(6) Chair, House Armed Services Committee
(7) Member, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
(8) Chair, House Homeland Security Committee
(9) Chair, House Small Business Committee
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You may also notice though we agree that an impeachment inquiry is necessary, not everybody at this site agrees how to go about it.
All the shouting and the namecalling won’t change this fact: With 433 active House seats it will take 218 votes (allowing 1 safety vote) to pass a resolution to begin an impeachment inquiry; we are now at 85 votes or 39% of the necessary votes.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi could try to put this up for a vote right now but she’d lose. It’d be obvious to that corrupt orange monster and his evil minions there was absolutely no Congressional check on his power. Trump, his minions and sponsors would perceive this failure as a permission slip to continue their crime spree, possibly ramping up to even worse.
One thing can change this dynamic.
You.
You can raise hell with your intransigent representative if they are a Democrat who has not yet offered their support for an impeachment inquiry. You can still raise hell with your GOP representative just so they know we are still expecting them to perform to the letter of their oath of office.
You can also identify a primary candidate running against the most resistent representatives, make a donation to them, volunteer to help their campaign, and then call your intransigent rep and let them know you are going to ensure they are primaried because they are failing their oath of office.
You can share Law Works’ production of The Investigation recorded last week if friends and family haven’t read the Mueller report and don’t understand that Trump obstructed justice. Now bmaz thinks this production was a stunt but treat it as a podcast: talk a friend or family member into a long car ride over the holiday and weekend, and play The Investigation while you’re on the road. Talk about the report and the obstruction — and then persuade them to help make calls.
About those rallies outside media offices: we could have rallies outside local offices of members of Congress, but there’s no guarantee media will treat these as newsworthy. They didn’t cover any of MoveOn’s rallies this month for example. So hold them at media offices, like outside the biggest radio or television stations in your market. Make it impossible to avoid coverage. I’d like to tell you to avoid the Sinclair-owned ones but if the local station picks up the story, it’s a double win. If you organize one with a group be sure to prepare clear, succinct talking points and have a designated spokesperson deliver them.
You can wallpaper your municipality with home printed materials to drum up more support. Feel free to use this graphic:
Post it at the library, grocery store, coffee shop, wherever there’s a bulletin board open for public use.
Is this an old school approach? Sure, but let’s face it — the new school efforts aren’t breaking through.
It’s up to you. And you, and you.
Let’s roll.
Congressional switchboard: (202) 224-3121
Updated whip count follows below; share in comments any new announcements by House members throwing support behind an impeachment inquiry.
A word to leaders of certain activist organizations who’ve been dogging Nancy Pelosi: it’s YOUR organizational leadership failing this country if you haven’t persistently encouraged your members to focus on getting the 218 House votes needed. Harassing Pelosi doesn’t make it likely the outstanding 133 vots will turn up; it makes it more likely they will hold out longer to avoid the harassment they’ve seen aimed at Pelosi. Jesus Christ, use your fucking brains. No dog is going to willingly show up for a whipping they’ve seen another dog take; they’ll run and hide.
Carrots are good as well as sticks; while your organization badgers Pelosi for fundraising now, keep in mind the entire House must raise money to run in 2020. Reward the representatives who are committing to voting for an impeachment inquiry with donations.
This is an open thread.
UPDATE — 1:00 p.m. 02-JUL-2019 —
Updated spreadsheet with count. Note that 16 of 25 Democratic House Judiciary Committee members are now in support of an inquiry since last week — that’s 67%.
Still zero GOP support save for Justin Amash; meanwhile the RNC is dishing out tickets for a non-campaign campaign event using taxpayer funded resources limiting access to a taxpayer-funded Fourth of July holiday. Surprised none of these spineless leeches are sucking up to Moscow for the holiday.
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[NB: Check the byline, thanks! Updates at the very bottom. /~Rayne]
CNN published a report this weekend tallying the House Democrats who have already expressed support in one way or another for an impeachment inquiry. The head count stood at 63 out of 235 Democrats on Saturday, along with lone Republican Justin Amash (R-MI).
There are many possible reasons why House Democrats haven’t yet expressed support for a Constitutionally empowered inquiry, not the least of which is simple chickenshit worry about polling for the 2020 race. I say chickenshit because 2018 was a huge wave and the reasons which drove that wave have not subsided. They have only increased in intensity.
Can you think of anyone in your circle of friends and family whose taxes have gone down since the Trump tax bill passed? Can you think of anyone who’s found their grocery bill or their rent has gone down? What about medical bills — has anyone you know experienced a drop in prescription drug costs or health care insurance premiums?
And what of other matters like personal privacy or the ability to vote? Have those matters improved for the average Americans you know?
Now we can add more rural Americans to the discontented having been ignored while their states have been inundated, just as coastal residents in hurricane-damaged states have also gone without timely attention and aid.
The blue wave will continue. Its power needs to be focused. We have some time to address that. But we also need to develop that focus with more effective investigations into the Trump administration’s public corruption and abuses of power as well as obstruction of justice and oversight. An impeachment inquiry will provide the teeth necessary to obtain evidence and testimony, and it’s well past time to get the House Dems on board.
Here’s the whip list below — I will update it as I see reports in the media.
Your job as a citizen is to exercise your civic duty and contact your representative to find out where they stand on an impeachment inquiry, and to convey your opinion supporting one.
Do share your results in comments; we’ll watch to see how long it takes for the media to catch up with any changes in this whip count.
I saw a mention of 67 Dems now supporting an inquiry but I only have 64. If you know of any other House members who have now said they support an impeachment inquiry, please let me know. Thanks.
UPDATED — 5:00 p.m. 19-JUN-2019 —
Thanks to community member harpie who shared a link to NBC’s latest whip count which showed 66 House Dems and 1 House GOP member supporting an impeachment inquiry. NBC’s list deviated from CNN’s in that NBC did not include Brenda Lulenar Lawrence (D-MI) and Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX). Newly added supporters are in boldface.
[1] NBC also showed Harley Rouda as a Yes in a previous iteration but has now offered a correction:
CORRECTION (May 30, 2019, 1:25 p.m. ET): An earlier version of this article misstated the position of Rep. Harley Rouda, D-Calif., on beginning an impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump. Rouda has said he supports an impeachment inquiry only if Trump does not comply with congressional subpoenas, not before.
Nice fence sitting, Rouda, hope your pants are adequately padded. Does this include obstruction by staff/ex-staff who refuse to comply with subpoenas or no? Anybody in Rouda’s district want to call and find out which side of the fence Rouda is on today after Hope Hicks refusal to cooperate with the House?
UPDATED — 5:00 p.m. 19-JUN-2019 —
Adding Brian Higgins (D-NY) as a Yes:
Obstruction of justice is an impeachable offense. The multiple instances laid out in the Mueller report necessitate that the House launch an impeachment inquiry. pic.twitter.com/Y6wERZyorS
Productive day on the Yes front. Wonder how much was because of Hope Hicks’ and White House intransigent responses to questioning. House GOP caucus is still fully behind the scofflaw-in-chief, save for Justin Amash (D-MI).
UPDATED — 7:45 a.m. 21-JUN-2019 —
I’ve made a change to the spreadsheet to indicate which members of the House Judiciary Dems support an impeachment inquiry. 13 out of 24 members currently do — that’s critical mass. Chair Jerry Nadler is a likely supporter given his submission of a resolution last year for impeachment, but as chair he may be obligated to hold back until he has reached some threshold internal to the committee. Here’s the breakdown:
If your representative is one of the House Judiciary Committee Dems who have not yet thrown their support behind an impeachment inquiry, your calls matter the most right now. With all HJC Dems on board, Nadler has the political will power aligned to begin pursuit of an inquiry.
UPDATED — 1:30 p.m. 21-JUN-2019 —
Add another Yes on the board supporting impeachment inquiry:
Two more House Dems now support an impeachment inquiry — one of them is a House Judiciary member, too. That’s 14 of 24 or 58% of the committee now behind an inquiry.
If you call your representative, please share the results of your call in comments. Thanks. If comments close here soon because the post gets knocked down by other content, I will put up a new Whip It post.
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