Donald Trump may be in line to get his comeuppance sooner rather than later, now that the “conscious” of the House Democrats, civil rights legend Rep. John Lewis, says he’s closer to making known his views on impeaching “this so-called president.”
“My time is growing near,” Lewis (D-Ga.) said this week, according to Politico, continuing: “I’ve never been supportive of this so-called president. Before he was inaugurated I said he was not legitimate. So I have some very strong feelings.”
Lewis is known to have major influence among Democrats of all stripes, including their most progressive colleagues as well as the Congressional Black Caucus. If Lewis comes out in favor of impeachment, that could easily sway Democrats who remain on the fence.
His support for removing Trump from office could also move the Democrats to get on message about what it is they (through the House Judiciary Committee) are trying to accomplish.
As Politico explains:
A near-term announcement from Lewis would land in the middle of a messaging mess for House Democratic leaders, who have offered wildly different assessments of the House’s posture on impeachment. Though the Judiciary Committee, led by Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), has spent months describing an ongoing “impeachment investigation” [....]
House leaders, who signed off on the Judiciary Committee’s legal position, have been hesitant to publicly characterize it as an impeachment investigation, instead preferring to describe it as a standard House probe.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, with whom Lewis is often closely aligned, wouldn’t even say the word “impeachment” Thursday in discussing the Judiciary Committee’s efforts.
Their politically close relationship have some House Dems telling Politico they doubt Lewis will back impeachment, but others note the Lewis has always been his own man and that there have been no efforts to lobby him one way or the other.
“When he comes out it will be a signal that the leadership has decided [to support it],” one Judiciary Committee Democrat who supports impeachment proceedings told Politico. “I would be surprised.”
Thus, Lewis is seen as somewhat of a wildcard on the issue of Trump’s impeachment — a very powerful wildcard.
“No question about it. Who wants to be on the other side of John Lewis?” Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), who also supports an impeachment inquiry, told the site. “When he speaks, everybody listens.”