NJ House delegation backs impeachment by 10-2 margin
President Donald Trump (Official White House photo by Shealah Craighead)
TRENTON, N.J. - New Jersey’s U.S. House delegation is expected to vote 10-2 in favor of articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, mostly along party lines, according to an Associated Press survey of lawmakers.
Democrats are backing impeachment, with the only Republican elected in 2018 opposing the articles.
The party-line breakdown is complicated because Rep. Jeff Van Drew, of southern New Jersey’s 2nd District, indicated he’s quitting the Democratic party to join Republicans, after earlier saying he opposes impeachment.
Republican Chris Smith, the only Republican elected to the House from New Jersey in 2018, is also opposed.
New Jersey’s 10 other Democrats, including three freshmen elected in previously GOP-controlled districts, have said they support impeachment.
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Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a former Navy helicopter pilot, posted on Twitter Tuesday that she would be voting in favor of impeachment. She represents the 11th District, which was held by Republican Rodney Frelinghuysen before he announced his retirement.
“My military service taught me to put our country — not politics — first, and my time as a federal prosecutor taught me about the importance of the rule of law and of justice. I will be voting in favor of the Articles of Impeachment,” Sherrill said.
House Democrats are set to vote Wednesday to impeach the Republican president, formally accusing him of abusing his power as president in dealing with Ukraine to help himself politically and then obstructing Congress by blocking the later investigation.
Also saying they’ll support the impeachment articles are Donald Norcross, of the 1st District, Andy Kim, of the 3rd District, Josh Gottheimer, of 5th District, Frank Pallone of the 6th District, Tom Malinowski, of the 7th District, Albio Sires, of the 8th District, Bill Pascrell Jr., of the 9th District, Donald Payne Jr., of the 10th District, Bonnie Watson Coleman, of the 12th District.
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Associated Press reporter Geoff Mulvihill in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, contributed