Another City Jumps Aboard Growing Movement to Impeach Trump

A poll conducted in the wake of Trump's firing of former FBI director James Comey earlier this month found that, for the first time, more Americans support impeaching Trump than oppose the idea. (Photo: Mike Maguire/cc/flickr)

Another City Jumps Aboard Growing Movement to Impeach Trump

Officials in Brookline, Mass. passed a citizen-proposed resolution that raises concern over President Trump's conflicts of interest

Ten American municipalities are now calling for the impeachment of President Donald Trump, after elected officials in Brookline, Massachusetts passed a resolution last week asking Congress to begin an investigation that might lead to his removal from office.

The citizen-proposed resolution argues that "Trump's many business interests around the world violate the Constitution's Emoluments Clause, and calls upon the U.S. House of Representatives to support a resolution directing the Judiciary Committee to investigate whether there are sufficient grounds for impeachment," Boston Magazine reported.

"Honestly, I don't understand why more people aren't outraged by this," said petitioner Lisa Kolarik.

Of the 173 elected officials that took part in the late Thursday vote, 158 voted in favor of the resolution while 13 abstained and two voted against, making the Boston suburb the latest local government to back Trump's removal.

As Politicoobserved on Monday,

The Massachusetts towns of Cambridge, Amherst, Pelham and Leverett have already made the call, and Newton has a proposal up for consideration.

California is another hotbed of impeachment. The Los Angeles city council in early May overwhelmingly passed a measure asking for impeachment proceedings to begin. Richmond, Alameda and Berkeley did the same.

A poll conducted in the wake of Trump's firing of former FBI director James Comey earlier this month found that, for the first time, more Americans support impeaching Trump than oppose the idea.

As Common Dreams reported at the time of the survey, 48 percent of respondents said they were in favor of impeachment, versus 41 who were against. What's more, only 43 percent said they think Trump will serve out his full term as president.

Trump's alleged obstruction of justice was also said to be the tipping point for Chicago alderman and gubernatorial candidate Ameya Pawar, who introduced a resolution to the city council mid-May that swiftly garnered 31 co-sponsors (though, according to Pawar, the resolution is currently "stuck" in the Rules Committee).

"Donald Trump is a racist, a bigot, and a misogynist, and he is attempting to enact policies around his beliefs. But that's not why I introduced the resolution calling on Congress to begin impeachment proceedings," said Pawar, according to Politico. "I introduced this resolution because President Trump continues to obstruct the investigation into Russian influence over his administration, in his business dealings, and the alleged collusion during the 2016 election. It is time for a full and thorough investigation led by the United States Congress."

Over 1.1 million people have also signed onto a petition calling for Trump's impeachment. While these local efforts have "no authority in the matter," Politico notes that the goal "is to convince Congress to take the first step toward impeachment--launching the investigation necessary to determine if impeachment charges are warranted."

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