26 Articles: Tennessee Democrat Steve Cohen Tackles Trump’s Political Soil With New Impeachment Push

Cohen’s resolution is a massive document that casts a wide net over the Trump administration. The 26 articles encompass a sweeping range of alleged misconduct. They touch on immigration policies, the use of military power, federal spending, tariffs and presidential pardons. The accusations also target the federal workforce, universities, law firms and the media. It is a deep dive into the operations of the presidency during that time. The first article accuses the president of undermining democracy by sowing doubt in the integrity of elections. The second alleges an abuse of power by waging war on Iran without the approval of Congress. Another targets alleged extrajudicial killings in international waters off Venezuela. There is even a fourth article focusing on the deployment of military forces against U.S. cities. These are serious accusations that paint a picture of a presidency operating aggressively beyond traditional boundaries.

Immigration policy features prominently in this debate. The articles target the president’s executive order on birthright citizenship and the administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador. The documents also make specific allegations concerning the conditions at El Salvador’s CECOT prison. They accuse the administration of defying court orders in immigration enforcement. These details suggest a pattern of disregard for legal processes when it comes to border security and the treatment of those caught in the system. The accusations go beyond simple policy disagreements and suggest a failure to follow the rule of law.

Other articles dig into the internal machinery of the presidency. They accuse Trump of unlawfully withholding congressionally appropriated funds. They target the imposition of loyalty tests on the federal workforce. There are allegations of improperly terminating inspectors general. The resolution also focuses on the abuse of presidential pardon powers. Cohen also targets the president’s dealings with the press, law firms and universities. Two articles accuse the president of attacking press freedom. This includes allegations that Trump excluded reporters from the White House based on their coverage. The accusations also claim he coerced CBS and ABC to alter editorial content. This comes amid an ongoing legal battle over the banishing of CNN, MS NOW and Politico reporters from the White House. The three outlets have taken legal action to regain access.

The accusations extend to executive actions against law firms and the withholding of federal funds from universities. The final article alleges that Trump violated the Constitution’s emoluments provisions. This charge is that he profited personally and directly from the presidency. The claims contained in the resolution are allegations made by Cohen and do not themselves establish that Trump committed impeachable offenses. However, they provide a comprehensive list of grievances that his supporters and critics will debate for years to come. It is a detailed catalog of what the accuser believes constitutes a failure of leadership.

Steve Cohen has a specific way of explaining his actions. In a press release, he said,

Trump is clearly the most impeachable President our country has ever endured. His continued presence in office is a danger to our democracy.

He continued,

That the sycophantic Republican majority in Congress is derelict in its duty does not mean that I must abandon my responsibilities. I took an independent oath to support and defend the Constitution. That commitment compels me to introduce this resolution today. When historians write about this period, and our constituents ask who stood up to President Trump’s lawlessness, this resolution is the answer.

He acknowledges the difficulty of the task ahead. In a conversation with Nexstar, Cohen admitted,

I know they won't go anywhere, but I'm not going to stop standing up for my constituents and for democracy.

This sentiment highlights the symbolic nature of the effort as much as its potential for practical impact.

The arrival of this new resolution arrives amid clear differences among House Democrats over how and when to pursue impeachment. Green’s September effort focused much more narrowly on the administration's immigration crackdown. His resolution accused Trump of abusing presidential powers in connection with immigration operations where federal officers killed several civilians. The administration defended the officers' actions, arguing they had feared for their lives and acted in self-defense. Democratic leaders did not endorse Green’s effort and stated that impeachment should follow formal investigations and hearings. These hearings had not yet taken place. Aguilar, the House Democratic Caucus chairman, also said shortly before the Green vote that impeachment was not at the top of House Democrats' agenda.

There is some overlap between the two efforts, particularly when it comes to immigration enforcement. Cohen’s articles include allegations involving Abrego Garcia, CECOT and the administration's compliance with court orders in immigration cases. Green’s September resolution, by contrast, centered on the immigration crackdown and the civilians killed during federal enforcement operations. This overlap shows that even when the goals align, the methodologies and the scope of the documents can differ significantly.

Cohen and Green have a shared history of seeking Trump's impeachment dating back to his first term. Cohen introduced five articles against Trump in November 2017 while serving as the ranking member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice. Green also pursued impeachment during Trump's first year in office. He introduced an impeachment resolution in 2017 accusing Trump of conduct that Green argued had fueled bigotry and hatred. When Green forced a House vote on an impeachment resolution in December 2017, lawmakers voted 364 to 58 to table it. At that time, Republicans and most Democrats opposed the effort. Democratic leaders argued it was premature at that stage in the presidency.

Trump was impeached twice by the House during his first presidency. The first instance came on December 18, 2019, when the House approved articles accusing him of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress following an investigation centered on his dealings with Ukraine. The Senate acquitted Trump on both articles in February 2020. The House impeached Trump for a second time in January 2021 on a charge of incitement of insurrection following the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. He was subsequently acquitted by the Senate. These previous events set the stage for the current environment where impeachment is a known quantity in the political diet of the nation.

The latest 26-article resolution does not mean Trump has been impeached again. An individual House member can introduce articles of impeachment, but impeachment occurs only if the House votes to approve at least one article. Cohen’s effort also enters a House controlled by Republicans. The recent Green vote demonstrated that even Democrats are not united behind another impeachment push. It is a reminder that the legislative process is slow and that consensus is required for major action. Yet the filing of the papers itself is an act of political theater and record keeping. It ensures that these specific grievances are on the permanent record for the history books.

First reported by r/politics.