House Democrats' call to begin impeachment proceedings grew even louder Tuesday, as former White House counsel Don McGahn's refusal to testify before the House only intensified Democrats' argument that an impeachment inquiry may be the only way to break through the Trump administration's stonewalling. Among those adding their voice to the chorus was Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who forcefully spoke out about the need to start the impeachment process. Our institutions “have been damaged greatly today [with the] unwillingness to impeach,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. “Failure to impeach now is neglect of due process.”

The freshman congresswoman continued to advocate for impeachment in an interview Tuesday evening with Reuters, in which she pushed back against House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi's argument that an inquiry is not worth the political risk. “I think that, at a certain point, this is no longer about politics,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “This is about upholding the rule of law.” Though the New York representative emphasized that she “respect[s]” Pelosi's leadership and knows that she's “working very hard to bring the party together,” Ocasio-Cortez criticized the logic of Pelosi's argument, claiming, “Just as impeaching without cause could be construed [as], and is, politically motivated, choosing to not impeach when there is an abundance of cause could also be construed similarly.”

Ocasio-Cortez was far from the only Democrat making pro-impeachment overtures Tuesday, as lawmakers including Reps. Madeleine Dean, Don Beyer, and Ilhan Omar made statements in support of starting impeachment inquiries. The Huffington Post noted that one-third of the House Judiciary Committee's Democratic majority now supports impeachment, and the Congressional Progressive Caucus met Tuesday to discuss ways in which an inquiry could begin. “In politics there are always risks of acting and risks of not acting,” House Judiciary member Rep. Jamie Raskin said in an interview with the Washington Post, adding that the power to remove the president was built into the Constitution as “the people’s last line of constitutional self defense against a president who tramples the rule of law and acts like a king.” “If we don’t respond constitutionally to the evidence advanced by the special counsel, have we dramatically lowered the standards for presidential conduct?” he asked. And early steps toward impeachment could be happening sooner rather than later. Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee vowed Tuesday to introduce a “Resolution of Investigation,” which she described as a method of “educating the American public” that could ultimately result in impeachment.

The growing calls for impeachment have further divided the Democratic caucus, though, as many members remain aligned with Pelosi's view that now is not the time to start the process. Rep. Ro Khanna said said he thinks Pelosi “has it right,” while Majority Whip Rep. James E. Clyburn said in an interview with Meet the Press that he believes if a secret ballot were cast on the issue among House Democrats, the majority would vote no. “A majority will be for staying steady, staying focused, because this thing is moving in our direction,” Clyburn claimed. Over on the other side of the aisle, the only Republican to break ranks and call for impeachment is Rep. Justin Amash, who has been swiftly chided by his party for speaking out against Trump. “I don’t think it’s going to be a trend-setting move,” Sen. Lindsay Graham predicted to the Washington Post about Amash's position.

Yet the day-long swell of pro-impeachment arguments could be a sign that the tide is about to turn. Pelosi said Tuesday she would call a closed-door meeting on Wednesday to discuss the caucus's Trump strategy, a move that was seen as a response to the mounting Democratic pressure. While House Majority Leader Rep. Steny Hoyer claimed that he doesn't “think we're there at this point in time,” the lawmaker did acknowledge that “I don't probably think there's any Democrat who probably wouldn't in their gut say, you know, [Trump has] done some things that probably justify impeachment.” “If the facts lead us to a broader action, so be it,” Hoyer added. Ultimately, Ocasio-Cortez predicted that given how defined the issue is by its political consequences, the Democratic battle may come down to public opinion. “I think it really depends on everyday Americans,” Ocasio-Cortez said. ”If you have a representative that is in a close seat and you think that we should be upholding the rule of law, I think it’s time to give your representative a call.”

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