Vulnerable Democrat Rep. Max Rose Says He’ll Suport Impeachment

US Should Recognize American Samoans as Citizens, Judge Says

SALT LAKE CITY—People born in the territory of American Samoa should be recognized as U.S. citizens, a federal judge in Utah decided Thursday in a case filed amid more than a century of legal limbo but whose eventual impact remains to be seen. The cluster of Pacific islands southwest of Hawaii is the only place in the country without an automatic claim to citizenship. People born there are labeled U.S. nationals, meaning they pay taxes but cannot vote, run for office, or apply for certain government jobs. U.S. District Judge Clark Waddoups sided with three people from American Samoa who sued to be recognized as citizens. He ruled that the Utah residents are entitled to birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution and ordered the government to issue…

Rep. Max Rose (D-N.Y.), who represents a district Trump carried in the 2016 election, said Friday that he will vote in favor of the articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump.

“A President coercing a foreign government into targeting American citizens is not just another example of scorched earth politics, it serves as an invitation to the enemies of the United States to come after any citizen, so long as they disagree with the President. Embarking on an unprecedented effort to obstruct this inquiry doesn’t make the facts any less true,” Rose said in a statement after the House Judiciary Committee approved articles of impeachment in a party-line vote.

“Therefore,” he added, “I will vote in support of the two Articles of Impeachment.”

Up until that point, Rose, who is an Army veteran who served in Afghanistan, didn’t indicate how he would vote on the measure. Rose also didn’t partake in the impeachment hearings and wasn’t involved in the drafting of the articles as he does not serve on the committees that carried out the process.

“Party and politics will never come before the country I bled to protect—and would unquestionably do so again,” he added.

Next week, the full House is expected to vote on articles of impeachment, and Democrats are alleging Trump abused his power and obstructed Congress.

Trump and Ukraine’s leaders have denied the allegations.

There are dozens of “battleground” districts in the House, and 31 Democrats represent districts where Trump also won in 2016. Some moderate Democrats who represent those districts were among the last in their party to endorse an impeachment inquiry and have been bombarded recently by Republican attack ads.

But in the face of solid Republican opposition, Democrats will need 216 votes to approve the articles, meaning they can lose about 17 or 18 Democrats if everyone is present and voting. One independent, Rep. Justin Amash (I-Mich.), has told CNN he will vote for impeachment.

Rep. Conor Lamb (D-Pa.) at a campaign rally in Waynesburg, Penn., on March 11, 2018. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Another battleground Democrat, Rep. Conor Lamb (D-Pa.), stated that he will now support impeachment.

“After reviewing all of the evidence and witness testimony in this investigation, I believe that President Trump abused his power and obstructed Congress, and I will vote for both articles of impeachment,” Lamb said on Thursday.

Like Rose, Lamb began serving in the House in January after touting himself as a moderate Democrat and touted his military service.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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Congressman Suggests National Guard Could Enforce Gun Laws in Virginia

A member of Congress suggested that Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam could activate the state’s National Guard and use it to enforce recent gun control measures after a number of counties declared themselves Second Amendment sanctuaries. As reported by WCYB, a local station, Virginia’s Wise County is the latest to make the Second Amendment sanctuary declaration on Thursday. More than 70 cities and counties have said they would oppose any state legislation they think would infringe on gun rights. Rep. Donald McEachin (D-Va.) suggested cutting off state funds to counties that don’t comply with any gun control measures that pass in the state capitol. “They certainly risk funding, because if the sheriff’s department is not going to enforce the law, they’re going to lose money. The counties’ attorneys offices are not…