US House Votes to Block Impeachment Proceedings Against Secretary of Defense

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, the U.S. House of Representatives has effectively blocked impeachment proceedings against the Secretary of Defense. In a vote of 211 in favor versus 204 against, the resolution to impeach the Secretary of Defense was sent to a committee, a move that essentially terminated the effort.

During this vote, Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, was the sole Republican member to vote against his party’s stance. Massie, a long-time critic of President Donald Trump’s administration, introduced a 34-page, privileged resolution on Monday containing eight articles of impeachment against the Secretary of Defense.

According to House procedures, privileged resolutions must be addressed within two legislative working days, meaning the House must act on them, table them, or refer them to a committee. This Republican representative had previously presented eight articles of impeachment against the Secretary of Defense in September. He had stated that the U.S. Secretary of Defense had committed human rights violations, initiated a war against Iran without congressional authorization, and engaged in other transgressions.

At that time, the vote on the resolution was halted after House Speaker Mike Johnson adjourned the House sessions prematurely ahead of the midterm elections. Additionally, Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic Minority Leader in the House of Representatives, who is expected to be elected Speaker in January, had previously stated that Democrats would remove the Secretary of Defense from his position after taking control of Congress next year.