We asked the right people.
Citizens’ Impeachment took its first meeting with senate staff last week and one thing is clear: It’s time to ask the Senate about impeachment.
One of our staff volunteers requested a meeting with Sen. Schiff using our new Citizen Action Guide. During that meeting the staffer shared that the Senator was “focused on day-to-day” efforts to combat the harms of this administration, rather than impeachment (something he’s repeated publicly since).
When asked directly if the Senator had considered impeachment, the staffer responded that the Senator had not had that question put to him at this time.
So we asked the obvious follow up question: How do we put the question to the Senator?
The staffer replied that we need to ask the Senator’s press secretary.
Those of you that have been with us since April know that this is the exact process we used to get the ball rolling on impeachment with “Operation Anti-King.” On April 7th, 600 citizen volunteers sent emails to the press secretaries of their member of Congress asking whether the representative supported impeachment. Fifteen representatives said yes, one (Rep. Thanedar, MI-13) filed Articles of Impeachment just three weeks later.
They were simple questions. No one answered.
Operation Anti-King kickstarted the impeachment movement in the House. To kickstart the impeachment movement in the Senate, Citizens’ Impeachment has asked every single senate office two simple questions:
1) Does the Senator believe Donald Trump has committed impeachable offenses during his current term as President?
2) Does the Senator want the House to bring the question of Impeachment to the Senate?
Not a single Senator responded by the deadline, today, July 15. We’re recording Senate responses on this tracker.
While the Senate cannot initiate impeachment, they can clearly state the need for impeachment. Senators have spoken plainly and publicly about the need for impeachment before, particularly after the insurrection on January 6th, 2021. They must do it again now, in the face of blatantly unconstitutional actions by Trump and his administration.
It’s time for the people to take the question to the Senate.
To encourage the Senate to make public statements in support of impeachment, we are holding a Day of Action call-a-thon on 21 July. Volunteers will receive a prep email, and instructions on how to make a direct, unambiguous ask for the Senator to support impeachment on the call, and a reminder on the morning of the 21st of July to call their Senators office. Not signed up with us yet and want to participate? Here’s a link to get on board.
Why phone calls? Phone calls are disruptive. Staff have to step away from other work to talk to you and they can’t get back to their work until you hang up. Former staffers have told us that a high number of calls in a short period of time has the potential to trigger a statement from the member of Congress. Our emails and instructions in our Citizen Action Guide will help you approach the conversation with confidence and focus.
In March, Rep. Green was the only representative talking about impeachment. In the three months since, Citizens’ Impeachment has helped make impeachment a serious topic of consideration in the House. We worked closely with Rep. Thanedar on impeachment resolution H. Res. 415, and along with the 5,000 of you now in our group, created an environment where Rep. Green was able to bring his impeachment resolution, H. Res. 537, to a vote in the House. On June 24th, 78 of his colleagues voted to take up the question and one more has co-sponsored his impeachment resolution.
It’s not a question of if, but when the House will send an impeachment resolution to the Senate. Members of the House look to members of the Senate for direction. Getting senators on record regarding the need for impeachment is one more way to demonstrate that impeachment is an essential component of our defense of democracy.
If you’re not already signed up with us and would like to participate in our Day of Action on July 21 to get your senator on the record regarding impeachment, join us at this link.