NEWTON, MA — Tonight, on the steps of City Hall a number of Newton residents will once again rally in an effort to impress upon city councilors to vote to pass a resolution calling for an impeachment investigation of President Donald Trump to be launched in the House of Representatives. And unlike last time, where a vote was postponed, their hope is that Newton City Council will vote.

The full Council is scheduled to vote on the measure at its meeting tonight after the question was chartered at the last meeting. Petitioners and rally goers say Trump is violating the U.S. Constitution by profiting from business deals involving foreign governments — and doing so without congressional consent: A violation of the Constitution's Foreign and Domestic Emoluments Clause. The resolution also notes obstruction of justice allegations prompted by Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey. (( Sign up for the Newton Patch Newsletterand get all the Newton news)

Should Newton pass the resolution calling for an investigation into impeachment it would join the likes of not only neighboring Brookline and Cambridge but Los Angeles and Oakland, CA and nine other cities across the country. (( Spoiler alert: Newton votes to support the investigation)) Ben Clements, former federal prosecutor, former Chief Legal Counsel to Deval Patrick, and founding member of Impeach Donald Trump Now and Free Speech for People, the national nonpartisan groups behind the local resolution movement, said that City Councilors take the same oath as members of Congress to support and defend the Constitution, and urged them to take that oath to heart when they vote on the resolution.

"We're already seeing the dangers of a president who believes that he is above the law. The long term damage to our constitutional democracy of Congress failing to hold accountable a president who willfully and repeatedly defies the law and the Constitution is incalculable," said Clements in a statement. A number of city councilors support the effort.

"I support this resolution because it demands that Congress judge the evidence on impeachment. All we are asking is that Congress do its job —a full and impartial investigation," said Councilor Ruthanne Fuller and mayoral candidate. " Many of our constituents are deeply concerned about the President and his behavior both during the campaign and since his inauguration; so it's incumbent on the Newton City Council to do its job and address this petition on the merits. "

City Councilor Emily Norton also indicated her support for the resolution.