One of the 11 Democrats who missed the vote on impeaching Pete Hegseth blamed traffic for his absence, even though he was seen outside the Capitol as the vote was taking place.
Representative Jonathan Jackson of Illinois was among the Democrats whose presence could potentially have helped advance the effort to remove Hegseth as Pentagon chief.
Jackson said in a statement that he was on his way to the House floor to vote for impeachment when “a traffic incident and a police-escorted bus caused a delay that resulted in the vote closing” before he arrived.
However, TMZ reported that Jackson was “right outside the Capitol with time to spare” on Tuesday night. The outlet said he was seen recording a social media video on the Capitol steps just minutes before the vote ended.
When questioned by TMZ on Wednesday, Jackson again pointed to the traffic but acknowledged that missing the vote was “inexcusable.”
He also said the area around the Capitol steps becomes “a very chaotic area” when Congress is in session.
“It’s not making an excuse for it. I should’ve been able to make the vote. It was procedural,” he said.
Jackson defended his broader record, noting that he was the first member of Congress to call for Hegseth’s resignation.
Jonathan Jackson of Illinois was among the Democrats whose presence could potentially have helped advance Pete Hegseth’s impeachment and begin the process of removing him from the Pentagon
One of the 11 Democrats who missed the vote to impeach Pete Hegseth blamed traffic, despite being seen outside the Capitol as the vote took place
“It was a mistake, and I wish I could answer you in any more detail, but I support the removal of Pete Hegseth,” Jackson said before walking away.
Republican Representative Thomas Massie, who introduced the articles of impeachment against Hegseth, was the only Republican to vote in favor. The measure failed by a vote of 211-204.
However, The New York Times reported that Republicans had been concerned their own absences could allow the impeachment effort against Hegseth to move forward.
In the end, 11 Democrats, including Jackson, did not cast a vote.
While Jackson and several other absent lawmakers in Washington cited traffic problems, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi flew back to California on Tuesday, SFGate reported.
Pelosi spokesman Ian Krager said she supports the impeachment effort and would have voted to advance it, but was attending an event honoring her work with local veterans.
“Speaker Emerita Pelosi returned to San Francisco to join and honor local veterans at Swords to Plowshares’ 30th Annual Veterans Day Celebration tonight, an important and longstanding district tradition she regularly attends and will mark for the last time as a Member of Congress by receiving the Lifetime Advocate for Veterans Award,” Krager said.
Swords to Plowshares is a Bay Area nonprofit organization that provides services to veterans throughout the region.
Thomas Massie reacts after a procedural vote in the US House on whether to refer the potential impeachment of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to a committee
Nancy Pelosi missed what could have been a crucial vote on Pete Hegseth’s impeachment to accept a lifetime achievement award as the Democratic effort to remove the Pentagon chief fell short
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Several Democrats expressed anger at the lawmakers who were absent after the impeachment effort failed Tuesday night.
“We knew that this vote was coming, so people should have gotten their raggedy selves up these steps to vote,” California Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove said.
“I don’t know why people weren’t here. Someone may have a health issue. I don’t know. But obviously, having a vote like that on attendance is hard. That hurts,” Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said.
“You should show up and do your job,” Michigan Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed said in an interview with CNN.
Other Democrats also said traffic near the Capitol, reportedly caused by a police escort for a bus, prevented them from reaching the chamber before voting ended.
Along with Jackson, New Mexico Representative Melanie Stansbury, Colorado Representative Brittany Pettersen, New York Representative Laura Gillen, Washington Representative Marilyn Strickland and California Representative Julia Brownley cited traffic. Brownley claimed Speaker Mike Johnson closed the vote before they could get inside.
Another California Democrat, Representative Lou Correa, said he missed the vote while recovering from a medical procedure and was staying home “on my doctor’s advice.”
Representative Steven Horsford of Nevada said a “personal emergency” delayed his arrival.
US Representative Melanie Stansbury said traffic near the Capitol, reportedly linked to a police escort for a bus, kept her from casting a ballot
“I missed an important vote,” Horsford said in a floor speech on Wednesday. “I take full responsibility. The accountability I demand of others applies to me, too.”
Representatives Haley Stevens and Frederica Wilson have not publicly explained why they were absent.
Stevens is a lame-duck member after an unsuccessful Senate campaign, while Wilson is retiring at the end of the current Congress.
Massie’s eight articles of impeachment accuse Hegseth of waging war in Iran without congressional authorization, disregarding laws designed to reduce civilian casualties and unlawfully ordering the seizure of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.
President Donald Trump celebrated the outcome on Truth Social Tuesday night, describing it as an “exoneration” of Hegseth.
“The Democrats’ attempt to impeach Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has miserably FAILED! Every single Republican, except Thomas Massie, a major LOSER, voted in favor of Pete,” Trump wrote.
“Again, Victories in Venezuela and Iran, the Best Recruitment Numbers in the History of the Military (Long waiting lists to get in!), and Spirit like rarely seen before, led to the EXONERATION of a Great American Patriot. The Democrats continue to weaponize and abuse the United States of America. They must be stopped!”
The Daily Mail has contacted Massie’s office for comment.
The resolution now moves to the Republican-controlled Judiciary Committee, which can either consider the measure or take no action, leaving the impeachment effort stalled without a vote on the charges.
That pause could be temporary. Democrats are expected to take control of Congress on January 3 and could begin a new impeachment effort against Hegseth.
Massie’s resolution will expire when the new Congress is sworn in, meaning another lawmaker would need to reintroduce the charges.