WASHINGTON (AP) – The political clock is a significant factor in whether majority House Democrats launch any impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump.
There’s increasing pressure on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to at least start an impeachment inquiry into whether Trump obstructed special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation. She’s resisting for a number of reasons. But the tick-tock of time is an inexorable one as the 2020 presidential and congressional elections cast a widening shadow over Washington. As it spreads, the window for launching any impeachment proceedings shrinks – making the prospect of doing so beyond December unappetizing for wide swaths of Democrats.
That reality could limit how long Pelosi can say yes or no to impeachment questions stemming from Mueller’s report.
“Whatever we do needs to be done in 2019. We need to begin it in 2019. It doesn’t necessarily have to wrap up in 2019,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., who serves on the House Judiciary Committee that would consider any such proceedings. “I think when we get into 2020 in the election year, it’s very late.”
That’s the commonality across Democrats divided over what to do now about Trump, described in the Mueller report as repeatedly trying to shut down the investigation. There’s a widespread feeling that the House would have to launch any impeachment proceedings this summer or fall, or it will be too late. There’s also a feeling that Pelosi knows this.