Berkeley City Council to vote on resolution supporting Trump impeachment proceedings
On Nov. 12, Berkeley City Council will vote on adopting a resolution that supports impeachment efforts to immediately remove President Donald Trump from office.
A letter including the impeachment resolution will be sent to state and national representatives.
Mayor Jesse Arreguín said adopting the resolution will provide “moral and political support” for the U.S. House of Representatives as it goes through the impeachment process. He said it is important for cities to speak out to show they support the impeachment proceedings, especially in districts where representatives are indecisive.
“Berkeley is a city that people look to,” Arreguín said. “The more cities that speak out, the more we can get Congress to hold the president accountable. I think by Berkeley taking this action it encourages other cities in California to support our members of Congress to back impeachment.”
The resolution sources the digital activist group RootsAction’s list of impeachable offenses, which include alleged “Collusion Against the United States with a Foreign Government” and “Seeking to Use Foreign Governments’ Resources Against Political Rivals.”
District 2 City Councilmember Cheryl Davila, one of the authors of the resolution, said in an email that the list of reasons for impeachment “is long and growing.” According to Davila, Trump allegedly violated constitutional domestic emoluments, ordered people to not comply with the impeachment inquiry and subpoena and has been accused of sexual assault on multiple occasions. She also cited the separation of children from their families at the border.
According to the resolution, Berkeley and several other cities across the nation unanimously approved a resolution supporting an investigation into the impeachment of President Trump in March 2017. The city sent the resolution to Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland.
Arreguín said while grounds for impeachment already existed, there are more recent reasons for impeachment that justify the city taking action.
Trump has also attempted to defund sanctuary cities — Davila also pointed out in her email that, in the past, Trump has also threatened UC Berkeley with pulling federal funds.
The Cal Berkeley Democrats, or CalDems, support the resolution, according to campus senior and CalDems president Sarah Abdeshahian. Abdeshahian added CalDems “applaud” Davila’s efforts to reiterate the support for impeachment.
The resolution will be sent to State Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland; State Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley; and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco. It will also be sent to Rep. Barbara Lee and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-Bronx; Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit; and Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Dorchester.
Samantha Warren, campus sophomore and CalDems political director, said the resolution is “really powerful.” She added that the impeachment process is part of a bigger movement that began in 2016.
“Starting local is very important even when it comes to national matters,” Warren said. “Our City Council is always on the forefront of holding people accountable.”
Contact Nina Narahari at nnarahari@dailycal.org and follow her on Twitter at @ninanarahari_dc.