As frustration mounts within the House Democratic caucus over Donald Trump's transgressions, Speaker Nancy Pelosi is serving as a one-woman road block to initiating impeachment proceedings. The veteran Democratic leader has used a combination of planning, well-timed barbs targeting Trump, and fear to keep her charges in line, despite growing impatience within the caucus.
The Washington Post reports that Pelosi and her allies switched into high gear last month when they got wind that House Judiciary Chair Jerry Nadler had decided to go rogue and declare his support for impeachment. She and six party leaders formed a united front, making the case to Nadler that Republicans were "stewing in their own juices" and that impeachment would be a mistake. Ever since, Nadler has offered a string of awkward silences and half-hearted responses when reporters question him about his views on impeachment.
Whether one agrees or disagrees with Pelosi on impeachment, no one can accuse her of the uselessness modeled by her GOP predecessors Paul Ryan and John Boehner, who couldn't lead their way out of a paper bag. In some cases, Democratic lawmakers who are more bullish on impeachment worry about things like losing committee assignments if they cross her. Although Pelosi doesn't mind facing some dissent during caucus meetings, "you don’t take those outside to a news conference,” former New York Rep. Steve Israel told the Post. Even pro-impeachment supporters such as House Financial Services Chair Maxine Waters stop short of taking Pelosi on directly. “I don’t criticize her. I don’t blame her,” Waters said, noting that Pelosi has a "responsibility" to the entire caucus.
Pelosi has also deployed some rhetorical flourishes to defuse tension after high-drama moments such as occurred when Robert Mueller finally held a press conference or Trump put the presidency up for sale. Between allowing strategically timed contempt votes and dropping comments about wanting to see Trump "in jail," Pelosi has provided her members with a means of release.
But her caucus also simply has a deep faith in Pelosi's judgment. “She is the single smartest strategist that we’ve ever had," said Illinois Rep. Jan Schakowsky. "People are not wanting to second guess her because she’s been right on so many fronts."
No doubt, Pelosi has been formidable in almost every way since Trump took office, besting him in both the midterm elections and every legislative standoff of his term. Pelosi surely has a plan for impeachment too—whether it will rise to this political moment remains to be seen.