From Staff Reports
WASHINGTON, DC – A no confidence resolution was filed against President Donald Trump last week by Congressman Steve Cohen and 24 co-sponsors; half of them black.
“He recklessly provided Russian officials with classified information,” Cohen (D-Memphis) said. “Since taking office in January, [he’s] exhibited unacceptable and often offensive behavior.”
Cohen is the ranking member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.
Congressman Jim Cooper (D-Nashville) isn’t a co-sponsor. Asked about that Cooper Press Secretary Chris Carroll said, “Jim has sent numerous letters to the Trump administration as a member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. He is relieved that a special counsel has now been appointed to investigate the administration. When that is complete, Congress should take appropriate action.”
No confidence resolutions are symbolic and rare. Congress passed such a motion against Secretary of State Dean Acheson and considered one against Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Nations with parliaments passing no confidence resolutions usually see their executives resign. The U.S. Senate can remove a President after impeachment by the House.
Cohen knows his resolution can’t pass in a Republican-led House and listed dozens of reasons why the GOP should beware.
Trump has:
• Refused to divest his business interests, creating conflicts of interest and potential violations of the Constitution’s emoluments clause;
• Fired the FBI director as the bureau is investigating potential collusion between Trump’s campaign and Russia;
• Repeatedly used Twitter to insult and undermine the press, Congress, and the Judiciary; and,
• Refused to release his tax returns.
Trump’s Cabinet has “the fewest number of women and minorities since the Reagan Administration,” Cohen said. “The gender pay gap at the Trump White House is more than double the national average.”
“The Hill” quotes Cohen on the effect of his resolution: “Is it going to have an effect on him? Apparently, his family members don’t have an effect on him, his Republican friends don’t, his Cabinet members don’t…
“You don’t want him to be a role model,” Cohen said during a recorded press conference in which he reported from a meeting with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi who “didn’t have a problem with us going forward” with the resolution.
It tells Trump, “[W]e disapprove of his cumulative actions, that we are simpatico with our constituents and a majority of the America people, and that we have no confidence in his service,” Cohen said.
Cosponsors are House Democrats John Lewis, Al Green, Keith Ellison, Maxine Waters, Karen Bass, Andre Carson, Marcia Fudge, Sheila Jackson-Lee, Pramila Jayapal, Barbara Lee, Donald Payne, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Brendan Boyle, Judy Chu, David Cicilline, Mark DeSaulnier, Adriano Espaillat, Raul Grijalva, Luis Gutierrez, Zoe Lofgren, Mark Pocan, Jamie Raskin, Jan Schakowsky and John Yarmuth.
Noting Cohen’s resolution follows a recently revealed private meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, “The Hill” quoted Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas): “This is not the behavior of the leader of the free world.”
