Democrat’s Excuse for Missing Hegseth Impeachment Vote Under Scrutiny - Newsweek

A Democrat lawmaker's excuse for missing a House vote amid an effort to impeach Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Tuesday has come under scrutiny.

A motion to refer Republican Representative Thomas Massie's eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth succeeded by a 211-204 vote on Tuesday. This sent the matter back to committee and in effect, blocked the effort.

Eleven lawmakers, including those who had supported the effort, missed the vote.

Illinois Representative Jonathan Jackson said in a statement on social media that while en route to the floor, “A traffic incident and a police-escorted bus caused a delay that resulted in the vote closing before I, along with other Members, could reach the chamber. I have since entered my NO vote in the Congressional Record.”

“I remain firm in my position that Secretary Hegseth must be held accountable and impeached,” Jackson said.

However, reporting from TMZ has prompted scrutiny over Jackson’s account of events.

Charlie Cotton, the outlet’s Washington, D.C. reporter, claimed to have seen Jackson “at the vote, with time to spare.”

“I saw Jonathan Jackson, filming a social media video about the Hegseth impeachment. And that would have been at about 5:57, 5:58 p.m. The Hegseth impeachment vote did not close until 6:05 p.m. And he was on the steps like, that’s where the vote is. Just go inside, you’re right there. So what happened in that time, I don’t know, but the traffic jam thing, it’s not the truth, or it’s not the whole truth,” Cotton alleged.

TMZ did not publish a photo or video of Jackson present at the vote, and Newsweek has not independently verified their account.

TMZ also shared a video of them speaking to Jackson the day after he had missed the vote.

Cotton asked, “I had seen you having arrived on the steps with minutes to spare. So, I’m sorry to put you in a tricky position, but, I’ve got to know: why didn’t you vote?”

“I missed the vote, there was a traffic jam that was there. It’s inexcusable; let’s not make an excuse for it. I should have been able to make the vote; it was a procedural vote,” Jackson responded.

“I stand by; I was the first member of Congress to call for Pete Hegseth to resign,” Jackson said. “I wish I could answer you in any more detail, but I support his removal."

In a separate post on X, Jackson spoke about missing the vote and his support of the overall motion.

A Community Note has been added to that post citing TMZ's reporting.

The Democrats could have prevailed in the effort if all 11 Democrats had cast their votes in the chamber.

The vote was scheduled for 15 minutes and held open for 29 minutes, according to ABC News. A precise time for the vote was not publicly listed.

Newsweek has contacted Jackson’s team for comment outside of regular working hours via email.

Jackson was not the only lawmaker to cite the traffic incident as having posed an issue to voting.

Representative Melanie Stansbury's office said she was "blocked from entering the Capitol to vote due a traffic incident and a police escort of a bus during the vote."

"When she reached the chamber the vote had just gaveled out. She immediately filed a report of her vote of 'NO' to the motion," the office wrote on X.

As with Jackson, her office expressed support for the motion, adding, "Pete Hegseth must be impeached now."

Andrew Noh, Representative Marilyn Strickland's chief of staff, told The Washington Sun that the representative from Washington was stuck in the same traffic and missed the vote by one minute.

"She would have voted against the motion to refer," he said.

Representative Laura Gillen of New York also said she was "stuck behind the same police escort blocking the Capitol when Republicans closed the vote."

"I would have voted no and believe strongly that Pete Hegseth should be impeached," she wrote on X.

The Democrats who missed the vote have been criticized by their peers.

Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan addressed those who missed the vote in an interview with CNN, saying, "You should show up and do your job." Meanwhile, Representative-elect Richard Ojeda of North Carolina said, "Shame on them for not showing up," while speaking on CNN.

After Republicans blocked the attempt to impeach Hegseth, Trump wrote on Truth Social, "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. 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 Pentagon, meanwhile, declared “total victory” after the vote.

“The referral of these baseless impeachment articles to the House Judiciary Committee marks total victory for Secretary Hegseth, the Department of War, and the American warfighter,” Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell wrote on X.

“We look forward to ending this sham impeachment in the committee room, where facts will continue to prevail and this distraction can be put to rest,” he added.