Democrats sound off on impeachment, Tlaib remark
In an interview to air Sunday on "Face the Nation," four newly seated House Democrats discussed calls for impeachment of President Trump. The group - Reps. Max Rose of New York, Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey, Jahana Hayes of Connecticut and Colin Allred of Texas - told "Face the Nation" moderator Margaret Brennan that it's premature to discuss impeaching the president before Robert Mueller's Russia investigation is completed.
Rep. Max Rose reacted to Rep. Rashida Tlaib's profane remark about impeaching the president. In a video posted to Twitter Thursday, Tlaib told a crowd of progressive activists "we're going to impeach the motherf*****." The video of the freshman representative has since been deleted.
"I'm from Staten Island. I have no problem with profanity," said Rose, a former Army Ranger.
"What I have a problem with though, is the fact that she is talking about this issue and urging action on this issue before the investigation has been completed. That will just continue this era of hyper-partisanship that we have to move away from."
Allred said the Mueller investigation needs to run its course and the concept of impeachment "can be used as a partisan lighting rod."
Sherrill, a former federal prosecutor, likewise urged patience.
"I think we've got to let Mueller finish his investigation, see what evidence he finds, and then we can make some decisions."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi addressed the matter in an MSNBC town hall, saying, "impeachment is a very divisive approach to take, and we shouldn't take it...without the facts." And while she said she disapproved of Tlaib's language, she didn't think anyone "should make a big deal of it."
"I'm not in the censorship business," Pelosi said. "I don't like that language, I wouldn't use that language, but I wouldn't establish language standards for my colleagues."
Pelosi added that Tlaib's remark was "nothing worse than what the president has said."
Still, Tlaib provoked the ire of some senior Democrats with her impeachment remark on Friday.
Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York, the new chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, denounced Tlaib's remark.
"I don't really like that kind of language, but more to the point, I disagree with what she said. It is too early to talk about that intelligently. We have to follow the facts," Nadler said on Friday morning on CNN.
House Oversight Chairman Elijah Cummings, whose committee plans to investigate the Trump administration, took issue with Tlaib's language but not the idea of impeachment.
"You cannot accomplish much of anything unless you have civility and show respect for your colleagues," Cummings said, adding, "there are a lot of people in America who are asking for impeachment."
House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy expressed his anger with Tlaib's comments Friday. "That action should not stand. Somebody should stand up to her," he said.
The president also weighed in at a Rose Garden press conference, saying Tlaib "dishonored herself" with the "disgraceful" remark.
"You can't impeach somebody that's doing a great job," President Trump said.
Bo Erickson, Grace Segers and Kathryn Watson contributed reporting.
More from Margaret Brennan's interview with Reps. Max Rose, Mikie Sherrill, Jahana Hayes and Colin Allred will air Sunday on "Face the Nation." Click here to check your local listings.
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