NY-22 Minute: Impeachment Inquiry Vote Presents Challenging Moment for Brindisi By Luke Perry
Rep. Anthony Brindisi will vote in favor of today’s House bill regarding the impeachment inquiry into President Trump. The bill establishes rules for the public portion of the inquiry, after several witnesses have testified privately before House committees composed of members from both parties.
These rules afford Trump’s lawyers the ability to formally defend him, cross-examine witnesses, and provide written requests to call additional witnesses. Procedural debates will likely be settled through standard legislative procedure, where Democrats have the advantage as the majority party.
“Doing this will allow Democrats and Republicans to call witnesses, will allow the White House rightfully to be involved, and others to respond to testimony that will be held in the open.”
Brindisi previously opposed the impeachment inquiry, including going to great lengths at his last town hall on October 10th to withhold support while repeatedly pressed by supporters. Brindisi contended a vote to launch the inquiry was unnecessary and explicitly acknowledged he would not support one (relevant video here).
Brindisi emphasized the current vote is “really a procedural vote” and “not a vote for impeachment.” At the same time, Brindisi has consistently opposed impeaching President Trump, raising the question of why he would now support the adoption of rules to proceed publicly with an impeachment inquiry that was previously more limited to information gathering with select witnesses.
Here is the full statement from Rep. Brindisi’s office:
“The bottom-line here is that the already-in-process investigation is moving along and delivering more questions than answers on both sides of the aisle. Since the investigation began, Democrats and Republicans in charge have failed to effectively come together in a constructive way that delivers what the public deserves: straight facts. My constituents want to judge things for themselves, and I support them. They want more information and public testimony. The only way to ensure this actually happens is to take the investigation into the public arena and shine a much-needed bright light. Doing so will allow both parties to finally call witnesses, the White House to rightfully be involved, and others to publicly respond to testimony heard in the wide open. Fair and open hearings will finally let Americans judge for themselves and –right now—I could not agree more. I want to judge for myself. We all do.”
Two days ago, Brindisi questioned the timing and need for a vote. Two week ago, Brindisi helped to persuade Speaker Pelosi to postpone a vote, contending there was no constitutional requirement to do so.
It is also unclear how Brindisi’s previous approach of viewing himself as a “grand jury member” fits with the impeachment inquiry becoming fully public. Grand juries operate in private to consider whether there is probable cause to charge someone with a crime. The accused have the ability to testify on their own behalf.
At his recent town hall, Brindisi passionately denied that his handling of impeachment was politically motivated, instead emphasizing the seriousness of the situation, while downplaying his potential reelection.
Political Scientist David Mayhew’s seminal work on Congressional behavior, The Electoral Connection, documented how members of Congress are principally concerned with re-election and that this motivation influences public policy making.
Brindisi is in a difficult situation. Liberal Democrats welcome his vote for the inquiry, though it risks pivotal support among cross-over Republicans and the Independence Party. Conversely, voting against would have likely alienated Democrats, whose his level of enthusiasm in 2018 helped propel him to office.
“I think the vote will allow a fair and open process and will finally let Americans judge for themselves.”
Claudia Tenney, the former representative, and a current GOP candidate for NY-22, believes voting in support of the impeachment inquiry will be Brindisi’s “death knell.” This message was recently echoed by the National Republican Congressional Committee.
Upstate perceptions of the president vary by Congressional district. Tenney has suggested that Trump remains as popular, or more so, in NY-22 today as 2016, but there are no public, district-specific polls.
Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Andrew Cuomo and Mike Pence all have higher approval in Upstate New York than Donald Trump. Most Upstate New Yorkers think President Trump is doing a “poor” job and only 33 percent currently support his reelection. 58 percent believe Trump’s actions warrant an impeachment inquiry.
In February, I wrote that “at some point there will be polarizing votes Brindisi will have to cast,” which “could involve House oversight of the presidency,” complicating efforts to position himself as bipartisan.
Today is the first major example. The next will likely be whether or not to impeach the president.
Luke Perry (@PolSciLukePerry) is Professor of Government at Utica College
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