EXCUSES EXCUSES

Jaw-Dropping Reasons Why 11 Dems Failed to Make Hegseth Vote

Democrats had a series of excuses for not being on hand to fight for Hegseth’s impeachment.

House Democrats are facing a furious backlash after eleven members did not show up to block the Republican move to kill the Pete Hegseth impeachment vote.

Several complained they were stuck in traffic after attending an event celebrating Democratic Party women.

The Daily Beast contacted all eleven missing members to collect their excuses.

Republican Rep. Thomas Massie’s effort to impeach the defense secretary was blocked on Tuesday evening when GOP members united on a procedural motion.

The vote came down 211 to 204, with 18 members not voting. Massie was the only Republican to vote to proceed to impeachment.

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Democrats had been riding high after their blue tsunami in the midterms delivered a sharp rebuke to Donald Trump and his administration, but they’re now facing intense criticism over the botched first major impeachment attempt.

The eleven Democrats who did not vote were Reps. Julia Brownley, Lou Correa, Laura Gillen, Steven Horsford, Jonathan Jackson, Brittany Pettersen, Haley Stevens, Melanie Stansbury, Marilyn Strickland, Frederica Wilson, and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi.

The Daily Beast asked the offices of every missing Democrat why they weren’t there for the crucial vote.

Multiple Democratic members who were not there blamed traffic.

“I was driving the Congresswoman and was forced to wait for a motorcade to pass by Capitol Police, causing the Congresswoman to miss the vote by 1 minute. She would have voted against the motion to refer,” Strickland’s chief of staff Andrew Noh said in a statement.

Stansbury faced a similar issue as she returned to Capitol Hill.

“Like other Members of Congress, Rep. Stansbury was blocked from entering the Capitol to vote due to a traffic incident and a police escort of a bus during the vote,” she posted on X.

“When she reached the chamber the vote had just gaveled out. She immediately filed a report of her vote of ‘NO’ to the motion meant to kill the impeachment articles and refer them to the Judiciary Committee, as documented in the Congressional Record,” it continued.

Jackson also blamed traffic for missing the vote amid intense criticism.

“While en route to the floor to oppose that motion, a traffic incident and a police-escorted bus caused a delay that resulted in the vote closing before I, along with other Members, could reach the chamber,” the Illinois congressman wrote on X. “I have since entered my NO vote in the Congressional Record. I remain firm in my position that Secretary Hegseth must be held accountable and impeached.”

In her own shared reason for not voting Tuesday evening, Pettersen, who herself introduced articles of impeachment against Hegseth in April, said on X that she was “denied the ability to vote on this motion.”

MISSING IN ACTION

Stunning Reason Behind Hegseth Impeachment Fail Exposed

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In response to Daily Beast’s request for more information, a spokesperson said the Colorado congresswoman was at an event acknowledging incoming members after last week’s election and was among the group stuck in traffic.

“While normally a floor vote is held open as a courtesy for the members who are near the Capitol and on their way to cast their votes, Republican leadership cynically chose to close the vote with nearly two dozen members still not voting—and just as Pettersen was reaching the chamber,” the spokesperson said.

According to Axios, several members had been attending an Elect Democratic Women event. That reception was taking place at The Roost, a restaurant 1.5 miles away in southeast Washington, D.C. It’s typically about a 10-minute drive without traffic or a half-hour walk.

The revelation that the event overlapped with the vote has led to pushback on Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, one of EDW’s founders. The Daily Beast reached out to her office for comment. Unlike some of her colleagues, Clark was on the Hill to vote against the motion.

On Wednesday, Horseford also spoke on the House floor about missing the crucial vote.

“Yesterday a personal emergency delayed my arrival to the House floor, and I missed an important vote,” he said. “I take full responsibility. The accountability I demand of others applies to me too.”

Unlike the members who were stuck in traffic or faced other delays, Pelosi returned to San Francisco before the vote to attend the Swords to Plowshares’ 30th Annual Veterans Day Celebration honoring local veterans, where she was set to receive the Lifetime Advocate for Veterans Award as she retires at the end of her term.

Her office said she supports impeaching Hegseth and would have voted against the motion.

Correa was also not in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday. His office released a statement in advance that he would miss votes.

“I will undergo a medical procedure here in Orange County. On my doctor’s advice, I’ll avoid travel until I’m medically cleared and will work from the district during that time,” he said.

The California congressman also submitted a personal explanation for the Congressional Record on Tuesday, noting he was absent, but would have voted against the motion.

“I vehemently support the impeachment of Secretary Hegseth,” Correa said in a statement. “Hegseth has dragged us into another endless war. He has fired experienced generals who disagree with him and the president. And under his leadership, the military has blatantly discriminated against women, LGBTQ+ service members, and others.”

Democrats’ failure to all show up to block the effort to kill Hegseth’s impeachment has sparked frustration among some members. It has also raised concerns among outside observers about House Democratic leadership’s ability to present a prepared united front against Trump come January.

After the effort was killed, Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is likely to become the next speaker, told reporters on Capitol Hill that it was not the end of the Hegseth impeachment fight: “It’s just the beginning.”

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Sarah Ewall-WicePolitical Reporter

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