Democrats Jeff Van Drew, Collin Peterson Join Republicans Against Impeachment Rule Bill

Democrat Reps. Collin Peterson (D-MN) and Jeff Van Drew (D-NJ) voted with Republicans Wednesday against the House Democrats’ bill that defines the floor debate on the articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump.

House Democrats passed H. Res. 767, the resolution that provides the rules for the consideration of H. Res. 755, the articles of impeachment against President Trump. H. Res. 755 charges that President Trump obstructed Congress and abused the office of the presidency.

Reps. Van Drew and Peterson both voted against ordering the previous question and on passing H. Res. 767.

These votes mark the second and third bipartisan votes Wednesday countering the Democrats’ articles of impeachment against President Trump.

House Democrats blocked a privileged resolution sponsored by House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA, which would have condemned House Intelligence Committee chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) and House Judiciary Committee chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY) for “abusing” the power of their respective chairmanships.

Rep. Peterson voted against blocking Rep. McCarthy’s resolution.

Reps. Van Drew and Peterson also voted against a resolution in October that would formalize the rules and proceedings surrounding the Democrats’ impeachment inquiry against the president.

Reports have suggested that Rep. Van Drew, a Democrat in New Jersey’s second congressional district, plans to abandon the Democrat Party and switch to the Republican Party. The New Jersey Democrat’s planned switch to the Republican Party has caused many of his staffers to resign from their positions.

President Trump praised Rep. Van Drew’s reported switch, saying, “Wow, that would be big. Always heard Jeff is very smart!”

President Trump reportedly met with Rep. Van Drew last Friday to discuss his becoming a Republican congressman.

McCarthy said Wednesday that the Democrats’ impeachment drive is “about political gain,” not upholding the rule of law.

“What Democrats are doing today — and what they’ve been doing for the last two and a half years — is cheapening impeachment,” Rep. McCarthy said. “For them, this is about political gain, not the rule of law.”