Progressives declare August push for impeachment

Progressive activists on Thursday declared “Impeachment August,” saying they’ll use the month when members of Congress are back home to try to convince more Democrats to back the ouster of President Trump.

The groups — Indivisible, MoveOn, Need to Impeach and Stand Up America — launched a website they said will allow impeachment supporters to plan their own events or to connect them with protests already planned.

“We urge everyone to take part in Impeachment August and pressure Congress to do their constitutional duty,” said Ezra Levin, co-executive director of Indivisible. “There is more than enough evidence for impeachment, and it’s time for Democrats to do what is right.”

The move comes a week after special counsel Robert Mueller’s testimony on his two-year investigation into Mr. Trump.

Though Mr. Mueller didn’t provide any new information and though polls show he didn’t move the needle on impeachment among voters, the story is different among House Democrats.

More than 20 new Democrats added their voices to the impeachment movement, and Politico now counts 118 who would back at least beginning an impeachment inquiry. That is more than half of the 235 Democrats in the chamber.

Activists hope that growing number within the House Democratic Caucus, as well as pressure from outside, will sway Democratic leaders, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in particular.

She has been reluctant to embrace impeachment, questioning its political wisdom and saying the case is not yet ripe.

“With over half of House Democrats in support, Speaker Pelosi and Democratic leadership must listen to the voices within their own caucus and actually lead on this issue by setting a deadline for a vote, expanding the scope of the investigation, and officially stating publicly that they have started an impeachment inquiry,” CREDO Action campaign manager Thaís Marques said. “It’s unacceptable to continue to play semantics with our Constitution or the rule of law.”