A handful of Democratic lawmakers have publicly called President Trump’s operation to capture Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro an “impeachable offense,” raising the stakes of this year’s midterm elections.
“This violation of the United States Constitution is an impeachable offense,” said Manhattan and Brooklyn Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY), who is facing a primary challenge from his left, in a Saturday statement.
“I urge my Republican colleagues in the House of Representatives to finally join Democrats in reasserting congressional authority by holding this president accountable for this gross violation of the Constitution.”
Last year, an effort to advance a War Powers Act resolution that would have prevented Trump from taking military action against Venezuela failed in both the House and Senate.
Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.) claimed the administration “is dragging us into an illegal, endless war so they can extract resources and expand their wealth.”
“We must pass Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s War Powers Resolution that asserts Congress’ authorities, and Trump must be impeached,” she chided on X.
Follow The Post’s live coverage of Nicolás Maduro’s NYC court appearance following his capture
Kat Abughazaleh, a left-wing influencer running in Illinois’s 9th Congressional District, also called for Trump to be impeached over Operation Absolute Resolve.
“The president is about to drag us into another forever war without congressional approval,” she fumed. “We need Democrats to grow a f—ing spine. This man needs to be impeached, convicted, and removed as soon as humanely possible.”
“Let’s be clear, invading and running another country without a congressional declaration of war is an impeachable offense,” Rep. April McClain Delaney (D-Md.) posted on X, not mentioned Trump’s name.
“Whether it makes sense to pursue impeachment as the best strategy to end this lawlessness is a tactical judgment that our Caucus needs to seriously deliberate.”
Top Democratic leaders similarly accused Trump of breaking the law but refrained from calling it impeachable.
Here’s the latest on Nicolás Maduro’s capture:
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said Sunday that “it’s a violation of the law to do what they did without getting the authorization of Congress,” a point echoed by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY).
Trump’s allies have been fearful that Democrats intend to impeach the president for a third time if they retake the House following the November elections.
However, a few Democrats cheered the operation, with Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), telling “Fox & Friends” Monday morning: “I don’t know why we can’t just acknowledge that it’s been a good thing what happened.”
Backers of Trump’s decision to capture Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have pointed to similar military raids in the past, including the 1989 operation to depose former Panama strongman Manuel Noriega.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted Sunday that the raid against Maduro was a “law enforcement operation” and that Trump had full authority to carry it out.
