Michigan House Democrat pulls Trump impeachment resolution amid opposition
Thanedar tabled the 29-page resolution that lists seven articles of impeachment that accuse Trump of corruption, abuse of power, obstruction of justice and "tyranny."
The Michigan representative on Tuesday forced the House to start the clock on the impeachment resolution by moving to declare it a "privileged" resolution, which requires a House vote within two legislative days, CBS News reported.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and other House Democrats recently discussed the matter with Thanedar and thought they had ended the effort, but the Michigan representative forced the matter anyway.
Thanedar acknowledged talking with House Dems but only said he "communicated" with them and did not "seek permission," Axios reported.
Much of the resolution cites efforts to reduce the size of the federal government with the help of the Department of Government Efficiency, which Thanedar says is a consolidation of power.
He also accused Trump of financial gain and violating the Foreign Emoluments Clause, which requires congressional approval when accepting gifts from foreign governments or leaders.
Thanedar introduced the impeachment resolution on April 28 and prior to the recent announcement of Qatar offering and Trump accepting the donation of a Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet worth an estimated $400 million.
Trump intends to use the aircraft as Air Force One and afterward donate it to his presidential library, but he has not taken possession of it as of Wednesday.
Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., called the impeachment resolution a "distraction" that is hurting the Democratic Party's chances of reclaiming the House majority in next year's mid-term election.
"Any Democrat not focused on getting us to 218 [seats] is either wasting our time or helping Republicans," Stanton told CNN. "Either way, it's hurting the mission."
Stanton leads the newly formed and centrist New Democrats Coalition.
A closed-door caucus of House Democrats revealed many members who staunchly oppose the impeachment effort, including Rep. Jerry Nadler of Washington, D.C., who called the move "idiotic," CNN reported.
Jeffries and other House Democratic Party leaders on Wednesday told caucus members they would vote to block the impeachment effort.
Thanedar afterward relented and did not bring the resolution to the House floor for a vote, which was scheduled at 5 p.m. EDT on Wednesday.
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Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Democratic plans emerge to reshape California's congressional delegation and thwart Trump
A decade and a half after California voters stripped lawmakers of the ability to draw the boundaries of congressional districts, Gov. Gavin Newsom and fellow Democrats are pushing to take that partisan power back. The redistricting plan taking shape in Sacramento and headed toward voters in November could shift the Golden State's political landscape for at least six years, if not longer, and sway which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2026 midterm elections — which will be pivotal to the fate of President Trump's political agenda. What Golden State voters choose to do will reverberate nationwide, killing some political careers and launching others, provoking other states to reconfigure their own congressional districts and boosting Gov. Gavin Newsom's profile as a top Trump nemesis and leader of the nation's Democratic resistance. The new maps, drawn by Democratic strategists and lawmakers behind closed doors, were expected to be submitted to legislative leaders by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and widely leaked on Friday. They are expected to appear on a Nov. 4 special election ballot, along with a constitutional amendment that would override the state's voter-approved, independent redistricting commission. The changes would ripple across hundreds of miles of California, from the forests near the Oregon state line through the deserts of Death Valley and Palm Springs to the U.S.-Mexico border, expanding Democrats' grip on California and further isolating Republicans. The proposed map would concentrate Republican voters in a handful of deep-red districts and eliminate an Inland Empire congressional seat represented by the longest-serving member of California's GOP delegation. For Democrats, the plans would boost the fortunes of up-and-coming politicians and shore up vulnerable incumbents in Congress, including two new lawmakers who won election by fewer than 1,000 votes last fall. "This is the final declaration of political war between California and the Trump administration," said Thad Kousser, a political science professor at UC San Diego. How will the ballot measure work? For the state to reverse the independent redistricting process that the electorate approved in 2010, a majority of California voters would have to approve the measure, which backers are calling the "Election Rigging Response Act." The state Legislature, where Democrats hold a supermajority in both the Assembly and Senate, will consider the ballot language next week when lawmakers return from summer recess. Both chambers would need to pass the ballot language by a two-thirds majority and get the bill to Newsom's desk by Aug. 22, leaving just enough time for voter guides to be mailed and ballots to be printed. The ballot language has not been released. But the decision about approving the new map would ultimately be up to the state's electorate, which backed independent redistricting in 2010 by more than 61%. Registered Democrats outnumber Republican voters by almost a two-to-one margin in California, providing a decided advantage for supporters of the measure. Newsom has said that the measure would include a "trigger," meaning the state's maps would only take effect if a Republican state — including Texas, Florida and Indiana — approve new mid-decade maps. "There's still an exit ramp," Newsom said. "We're hopeful they don't move forward." Explaining the esoteric concept of redistricting and getting voters to participate in an off-year election will require that Newsom and his allies, including organized labor, launch what is expected to be an expensive campaign very quickly. "It's summer in California," Kousser said. "People are not focused on this." California has no limit on campaign contributions for ballot measures, and a measure that pits Democrats against Trump, and Republicans against Newsom, could become a high-stakes, high-cost national brawl. "It's tens of millions of dollars, and it's going to be determined on the basis of what an opposition looks like as well," Newsom said Thursday. The fundraising effort, he said, is "not insignificant... considering the 90-day sprint." The ballot measure's campaign website mentions three major funding sources thus far: Newsom's gubernatorial campaign, the main political action committee for House Democrats in Washington, and Manhattan Beach businessman Bill Bloomfield, a longtime donor to California Democrats. Those who oppose the mid-decade redistricting are also expected to be well-funded, and will argue that this effort betrays the will of the voters who approved independent congressional redistricting in 2010. What's at stake? Control of the U.S. House of Representatives hangs in the balance. The party that holds the White House tends to lose House seats during the midterm election. Republicans hold a razor-thin majority in the House, and Democrats taking control of chamber in 2026 would stymie Trump's controversial, right-wing agenda in his final two years in office. Redistricting typically only happens once a decade, after the U.S. Census. 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The situation has the potential to spiral into an all-out redistricting arms race, with Trump leaning on Indiana, Florida, Ohio and Missouri to redraw their maps, while Newsom is asking the same of blue states including New York and Illinois. California Republicans in the crosshairs The California gerrymandering plan targets five of California's nine Republican members of Congress: Reps. Kevin Kiley and Doug LaMalfa in Northern California, Rep. David Valadao in the Central Valley, and Reps. Ken Calvert and Darrell Issa in Southern California. The map consolidates Republican voters into a smaller number of ruby-red districts known as "vote sinks." Some conservative and rural areas would be shifted into districts where Republican voters would be diluted by high voter registration advantage for Democrats. The biggest change would be for Calvert, who would see his Inland Empire district eliminated. 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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump-Putin meeting live updates: No deal reached at Russia-Ukraine war summit in Alaska; leaders praise ‘extremely productive' talks
Trump and Putin met Friday for the summit at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage. President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin both said that significant progress was made toward an agreement for a potential ceasefire in the war in Ukraine, but that a final deal had not yet been reached during their high-stakes summit in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday. 'There's no deal until there's a deal,' Trump said during a joint press conference following nearly three hours of diplomatic talks between the two leaders. Details on what was agreed to and what issues have yet to be resolved were not shared. The two leaders met at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, where they shook hands and posed for photographs on the tarmac before beginning their sit-down away from the press. It is the first face-to-face meeting between Trump and Putin since 2019, and Putin's first with a U.S. president since his forces invaded Ukraine in 2022. The Russian leader has spoken on the phone with Trump since his reelection, but they have not yet met in person during the president's second term. Trump has been trying for months to secure a deal to end the war, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was not invited to Friday's summit, and expectations that a ceasefire agreement can be reached are low. 'This is really a feel-out meeting,' Trump told reporters earlier this week. 'Probably in the first two minutes I'll know exactly whether or not a deal can be made.' The president also promised 'very severe consequences' if Putin doesn't agree to end the three-and-a-half-year conflict, which has caused a staggering number of casualties on both sides. There were fresh attacks in the war overnight. Russia launched dozens of drone strikes across Ukraine, killing seven civilians and injuring 17 others, Ukrainian military officials said. Yahoo News is providing live updates surrounding the summit in the blog below. As the world waits for President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to emerge from behind closed doors and comment on today's nearly three-hour meeting, Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska says the benchmark for Trump should be securing a clear-cut ceasefire commitment from Putin. "I think that the best that we could hope for is a commitment coming out of Putin to a ceasefire with enough contours to it that it is believable — that it will be more than just a brief moment to check a box here," Murkowski told CNN. Earlier, David Sanger of the New York Times said that "if there isn't a cease fire with a date certain, and a specific length, it's going to be very hard for the president to spin that he got much progress here." Trump supporters were seen congregating outside Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson to show their support for the president during the summit. Negotiations with the American delegation in the "narrow format" have concluded, the Kremlin said in a short statement. This presumably refers to the closed-door three-on-three meeting between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin that had been going on for nearly three hours. Aides have just checked the microphones at the podiums where Trump and Putin are expected to address reporters for a joint press conference. The Kremlin said this press conference will start soon. Trump and Putin were originally supposed to speak to the media after a working bilateral lunch meeting between the larger U.S. and Russian delegations. It is unclear whether that larger meeting will take place. Friday's meeting between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin has been a red carpet affair — a polished production orchestrated at least in part by Trump himself, who spent years co-producing and starring in his own reality television show (NBC's The Apprentice). Alaska's Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy posted a video to social media Friday in which he described a conversation he had with the president on Air Force One before Trump's meeting with Putin. In addition to mentioning that Trump said he 'loves Alaska,' Dunleavy addressed rumors suggesting that granting Russia access to the state's bountiful natural resources could be a bargaining chip to help convince Putin to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine. 'We talked to the president about these rumors that Alaska's minerals are going to be sold off to the Russians or that Alaska's gas is going to be transported by the Russians. … That's not true,' Dunleavy said in the video. 'Some would say that's fake news.' The British newspaper the Telegraph reported earlier this week, citing unnamed sources, that Trump would consider 'opening up Alaska's natural resources to Moscow.' A high-ranking Russian lawmaker added more fuel to the claim by commenting that it 'would be interesting' for companies from his country to be granted the right 'to work on the lands of Alaska.' Trump didn't rule anything out when he was asked directly whether Alaska's resources might be part of a potential deal with Russia on Thursday, saying only, 'We're going to see what happens.' The scheduled working lunch with more parties has not started yet, Dan Scavino, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff, said on X. This means the meeting between Trump, Putin and their chosen aides has lasted almost two hours so far. The White House did not issue a strict schedule for today's summit, but some have speculated the timing could be a sign that Trump has not felt obligated to "walk," as he told Fox News host Bret Baier he would do if he was not happy with how the conversation was going. A lot of phone calls between Trump and Putin this year have lasted up to 90 minutes, CNN reported. There are also two translators who are in the room facilitating the conversation. During his 2024 reelection campaign, Donald Trump repeatedly said he would end the war between Russia and Ukraine within 24 hours of returning to the Oval Office — or sooner. Actually, repeatedly is an understatement. According to CNN, Trump predicted he would resolve the conflict by Day One of his second term at least 53 times. 'Before I even arrive at the Oval Office, I will have the disastrous war between Russia and Ukraine settled,' Trump said in Maryland on March 4, 2023, for example. 'I will get the problem solved and I will get it solved in rapid order and it will take me no longer than one day. I know exactly what to say to each of them.' Given that today is Day 208 of Trump's second term and the war still isn't over, critics have accused Trump of breaking his promise. In response, the president has claimed that he 'said that figuratively… as an exaggeration… to make a point.' The important part, he added, was that he said the war 'will be ended.' Today's 'high stakes' meeting with Putin in Alaska proves how much striking a peace deal matters to Trump — in part because he spent much of 2023 and 2024 vowing to do it. The path to peace in Ukraine is the most pressing issue for Trump and Putin's summit, but it's not the only critical subject that the two leaders are expected to discuss. The last remaining arms control agreement between the world's two nuclear superpowers is set to expire at the beginning of next year and both leaders have expressed optimism that a new pact can be reached during their meeting in Alaska. The U.S. and Russia have by far the largest nuclear arsenals in the world, together controlling 90% of the world's nuclear weapons. The two nations have been working under some form of nuclear arms control deal since 1972. The current agreement, known as the New START treaty, limits the number of warheads each country can keep on alert at any given time. That deal expires in February and cannot be extended. If a new agreement isn't reached before then, the U.S. and Russia will be operating without a mutual nuclear agreement for the first time in more than half a century. On Thursday, Putin suggested that the summit could create 'the long-term conditions of peace between our countries … and in the world as a whole, if we reach agreements in the field of strategic offensive arms control,' while speaking with top Russian officials in Moscow. Trump expressed similar sentiments last month, telling reporters, 'That's not an agreement you want expiring. We're starting to work on that.' Neither leader has offered details of what might be included in a new nuclear agreement or how a future deal might differ from the one currently in place. As Trump and Putin continue their meeting, here's a recap of what's already happened so far today: The summit turned into a three-on-three meeting. It was initially planned for Trump and Putin to meet alone, but they both now have two advisers sitting with them. Trump has U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, while Putin has Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was not invited to the meeting, said in a social media post that Ukraine is "counting on America," although Trump told reporters this morning, "I'm not here to negotiate for Ukraine." Trump has suggested that, if his conversation with Putin is successful, he could set up another meeting with Putin and Zelensky. Trump said he "would walk" if the conversation doesn't go well. He told Fox News host Bret Baier on Air Force One that he will "head back home real fast" if everything doesn't "work out very well." President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have been meeting for an hour behind closed doors at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are sitting alongside Trump. Putin is flanked by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov. The only other people in the room are translators. For the duration of this sit-down, there will be no reports about what Trump and Putin are saying to each other. Once they are done, broader "talks within the delegations, possibly in the form of a working lunch" are likely to follow, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitr Peskov. "After that, the heads of state will withdraw for some time" to consult with their advisors "and then come together for a joint press conference." All told, the process could last for six or seven hours, according to Peskov, meaning it might wrap up around 9 or 10 p.m. ET. Or not. Trump has previously said that while he thinks the summit is "going to work out very well ... if it doesn't, I'm going to head back home real fast.' Alternately, the president also said Thursday that if he and Putin make real progress, he might remain in Alaska and ask President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine to fly in, which he said 'would be by far the easiest way' to mediate. Either way, Trump plans to sit for an interview with Sean Hannity of Fox News Friday night. He is scheduled to depart Alaska for Washington, D.C., before midnight local time. While Trump meets with Putin, his team sent out a fundraising email, according to screenshots an Associated Press reporter shared on X. "I'm meeting with Putin in Alaska! It's a little chilly," the email says. "THIS MEETING IS VERY HIGH STAKES for the world." The email encouraged people to donate, adding, "No one in the world knows how to make deals like me!" President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin did not answer questions from reporters while posing earlier today for a red carpet photo op at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. But that didn't stop the press from asking — or rather, shouting — their questions anyway. And in one instance, it didn't stop Putin from gesturing in response. 'President Putin, will you agree to a ceasefire?' 'Mr. President, what's your message to Vladimir Putin?' 'Mr. Putin, did you underestimate Ukraine?' None of these queries provoked any real reaction from the two leaders, other than a few words to each other and a handshake for the cameras. But then someone asked Putin if he would 'stop killing civilians.' At that, Putin grimaced, pointed to his ear — as if to suggest that he couldn't hear — and shrugged. Trump and Putin then exchanged a few more words, smiled and stepped into the presidential limo. 'President Putin, how can the U.S. trust your word?' a reporter shouted as Trump ushered Putin away. The U.S. president raised his hand, as if to wave goodbye or signal 'that's enough' — and an aide said, 'Thank you, press.' Putin was again asked about "killing civilians" during a second photo op with additional U.S. and Russian officials, and he again reacted — this time by narrowing his eyes skeptically, cupping his hands around his mouth and addressing the reporter directly (though inaudibly to the microphones). The two leaders arrived at the building at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, where they plan to meet and hold their news conference later tonight. The fact that Trump and Putin rode together — without top aides and officials — in the U.S. presidential limo from the tarmac to the site of today's summit is significant. Why? Because it's so unusual. When Trump wanted North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un — another U.S. adversary — to join him in his car during their meeting in Singapore in 2018, advisers talked him out of it. Today's meeting with Putin was expanded from a one-on-one to a three-on-three at the last minute. But Trump and Putin still made sure to get some alone time beforehand — even if they had to carve it out during a brief car ride. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin's foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov will be joining Putin in his conversation with Trump, RIA Novosti, a Russian state news agency, said, according to the Associated Press. RIA Novosti got the names from Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Putin, Lavrov and Ushakov will meet with Trump, Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff soon. President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin emerged from their respective planes and proceeded down an L-shaped red carpet at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, before meeting for a handshake. At 11:07 a.m. local time, Trump deplaned first from Air Force One. Putin followed seconds later. Trump waited for Putin to approach him for the handshake; he briefly applauded as Putin got closer. The two exchanged words for several seconds before walking together toward reporters and posing for a side-by-side photo op while American fighter jets flew overhead. The two leaders then entered the U.S. presidential limo (nicknamed "The Beast") to ride together to today's summit. Russian President Vladimir Putin has landed in Anchorage, Alaska. Air Force One touched down about 30 minutes ago at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, the military base in Anchorage where President Trump will meet with Putin this afternoon. Trump has been greeting Alaska lawmakers on board as he awaits Putin's arrival. As Air Force One lands in Anchorage, the White House has revealed that the president's meeting will no longer be a one-on-one between the two leaders, as reported all week, but rather a 'three-on-three.' Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will be in the room with Trump and Putin. It is unclear which Russian officials will join them. Witkoff has met with Putin five times this year; they have reportedly discussed broader issues such as land swaps and rare earth minerals. Rubio has long been considered more 'hawkish' on Russia. Trump has landed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, the military base in Anchorage, where he will meet with Putin this afternoon, the Associated Press reported. A room has been set up where Trump and Putin plan to hold a joint press conference after their private meeting. The plan is for the two leaders to meet, have lunch and then address the press together, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News on Thursday. There are two podiums on stage, and the backdrop says "Pursuing Peace," according to a photo shared by CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins.
NBC News
18 minutes ago
- NBC News
Trump thanks Putin and says 'great progress' was made
President Trump made remarks after a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and said "many points were agreed to" but avoided any specific details about what agreements may have been reached about the Russian war with Ukraine during the 15, 2025
