The Push to Impeach Pete Hegseth Is On

"There is certainly much to investigate about Hegseth, who appears to have issued a second order to kill two stranded survivors in the first strike, and then proceeded to lie about doing so. Yet, amid the well-worn rounds of congressional inquiries and special investigations, Justice Department task forces, military probes, and international court proceedings, a cabinet criminal's forcible removal from office is an all-but-guaranteed non-result."

"That's why it's so maddening that Democratic lawmakers have largely balked at invoking the most effective tool to secure such accountability-a motion to impeach Hegseth. It's hard to think of a case where impeachment is a more appropriate remedy. After all, if murder doesn't qualify as a "high crime and misdemeanor," what does? And an impeachment inquiry, closely targeted on documenting criminal charges, would be an encouraging first step in holding Hegseth accountable for his conduct in an actually meaningful way."

"And few Beltway operators are more conventional than the Democrats' terminally risk-averse House leader, Hakeem Jeffries. So it wasn't shocking when Jeffries made a point of ruling out an official impeachment inquiry not long after news of Hegseth's role in the second strike first broke. Jeffries claimed that planned investigations by the House and Senate Armed Services Committees should produce "a meaningful investigation which we can hope would be""

Pete Hegseth faces a scandal over military strikes against alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean and allegations he ordered the killing of stranded survivors and then lied. Congressional Democrats demand transparency and accountability and propose widening probes into the attacks. Investigations by congressional committees, the Justice Department, military channels, and international bodies are expected but may not remove a cabinet official. Many Democrats have resisted pursuing impeachment, with House leader Hakeem Jeffries ruling out an inquiry and emphasizing committee investigations instead. Advocates argue impeachment is an appropriate, targeted mechanism to document criminal charges and hold Hegseth meaningfully accountable.

Read at The Nation