For the second time in November cries for impeachment of US President Donald Trump have hit the Capitol Hill, with a small group of House Democrats introducing articles of impeachment, close on the heels of call given by representative Pramila Jayapal who claimed that the President had committed impeachable constitutional violations.
Representative Steve Cohen, at a press conference on Wednesday, said five other Democrats have signed his resolution to introduce five articles of impeachment against the President.
The resolution charged that Trump obstructed justice when firing former FBI Director James Comey, amounting to violation of the US Constitution's emoluments clause and that he has undermined the independence of the federal judiciary.
"The time has come to make clear to the American people and to this President that his train of injuries to our Constitution must be brought to an end through impeachment," Cohen told reporters.
"We're calling upon the House to begin impeachment hearings," the Tennessee Democrat said. "It's not a call for a vote. It's a call for hearings."
Cohen, the ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee's Constitution subcommittee, also said that the Democratic proposal has little chance of success in view of the majority being in the hands of the Republicans.
But he pledged to highlight what he said were "Trump's impeachable offences".
In reply, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said that time spent calling for the President's impeachment "would be better spent focusing on tax relief for American families and businesses".
"It's disappointing that extremists in Congress still refuse to accept the President's decisive victory in last year's election," she said.
Michael Ahrens, a spokesman for Republican National Committee, described it as "a baseless radical effort".
