211 to 204: Hegseth impeachment blocked as 11 Democrats miss House vote
Rep. Melanie Stansbury cited traffic and a police motorcade for her absence, admitting the party lacked the numbers to advance the measure regardless.
By Adrian Kovalenko ·
The House voted 211-204 on Tuesday to send an impeachment resolution targeting War Secretary Pete Hegseth to the Judiciary Committee, a procedural move that effectively stalled the effort. Eleven Democrats were absent during the count, a margin that proved decisive in the final tally.
Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., posted a video apology on Wednesday explaining her absence. She said she was driving toward the Capitol when she became trapped in rush-hour traffic on Independence Avenue. A lane closure had created congestion, leaving her stuck in the right-hand lane as the vote time approached.
Stansbury stated she could see the Capitol from her vehicle and instructed staff to inform House officials of her delay. She described a police motorcade escorting a bus away from the complex that blocked traffic in both directions. "I am so sorry," she said in the clip, adding that she was the most disappointed person in the situation for not being present when the gavel dropped.
The 11 absent Democrats included Reps. Nancy Pelosi of California, Marilyn Strickland of Washington, Julia Brownley and Lou Correa of California, Laura Gillen of New York, Steven Horsford of Nevada, Jonathan Jackson of Illinois, Brittany Pettersen of Colorado, Haley Stevens of Michigan, and Frederica Wilson of Florida. Seven Republicans were also missing from the roll call.
Axios reporter Andrew Solender noted that several of the absent lawmakers were returning from an Elect Democratic Women event located about 1.5 miles from the Capitol. They encountered bumper-to-bumper traffic that forced some to walk or take alternative routes to cast their votes. Stansbury acknowledged that her absence was part of a larger pattern of missed votes.
Stansbury conceded that Democrats did not have the votes to move forward with the impeachment at that moment. She noted that a Senate conviction would still require a two-thirds majority. The resolution introduced by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., contained eight articles of impeachment related to U.S. military operations, including actions in Iran, Yemen, and Venezuela.
Secretary Hegseth responded at a Pentagon news conference, calling the impeachment effort an attack on the military. "This is not patriotism," he said. "This is sabotage." President Donald Trump described the House outcome as an exoneration for the defense secretary. Democrats are expected to take control of both chambers of Congress in January.
