He supplied himself with a poster board displaying a picture shot from behind of him, shaking his cane at Donald Trump as Trump was giving his speech to the Joint Session of Congress on March 4th. What started Green to rise from his seat was when Trump declared that he could do what he wanted because he had a mandate from the people. Green yelled, "You have no mandate to cut Medicaid!" He kept yelling and would not sit down until Speaker Johnson had to call the Sergeant-at-Arms to remove Green from the chamber. Two days later, the House censured him. There were 10 Democrats that misread the moment and voted to censure Green. Green and others went to the well and sang the civil rights anthem "We Shall Overcome." Speaker Johnson called for order, and then a recess.
Thursday, Green stood next to the picture labeled "And Still I Rise." Trump will never get him to sit down again. The two have a history. Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Green presented articles of impeachment on May 17, 2017. Way before Trump's first impeachment in 2020. It was for obstruction of justice of the activities of Michael Flynn and for asking for Russian interference in the 2016 election, which he got, and there was collusion between Trump and his campaign with the Russians, no matter how many times he says differently. He was prompted also by Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey. He never forced a vote, but kept calling for Trump's impeachment.
Green reintroduced articles of impeachment on July 16th, 2019, after Trump's attacks on four congresswomen of color. This time it did come to a vote, but lost 332-95 with 95 Democrats voting for it and all the Republicans against it.
Last week, Green gave a speech that he called a preview of his articles. He spoke passionately about all of Trump's crimes and said he was signing on to Shri Thanedar's (D-MI) articles that are quite detailed.
Thursday, his speech was much shorter, just under 14 minutes.
"Mr. Speaker, And Still I Rise. A liberated Democrat, unbought, unbossed, unafraid, and most feared by President Donald John Trump. Most feared because the President recently tweeted he would have me removed from Congress because I have indicated that I would bring articles of impeachment."
"This is a president who has caused us to understand that the norms of society mean very little to him. This is a president who seems to think he can rule by executive order."
"The day of decision is near, and I believe as a person who is armed with the ax of truth, not afraid to slap it into the tree of circumstance, and let the chips fall wherever they may. I believe that as such a person, I am duty bound to bring articles of impeachment to the floor of the House of Representatives."
"This president is a threat to our democracy..... he disrespects the Constitution... he disrespects the notion that a person should have the right to say you have the wrong person... by way of the great writ..."
"He believes that judges who rule against him should be impeached. He does not respect the fact that there is a separation of power. He believes that he is the power. But, he's not."
Then Al launches into a recitation of Trump ignoring judges' rulings, even the Supreme Court's.
"Whether anyone agrees with me or not. I want my record to show that at a time when democracy was at risk, I brought articles of impeachment to the attention of the Congress."
"Removal is a possibility. But there is also the deterrent effect of articles of impeachment. They can be used, to say to a president, if you don't behave, if you don't cease and desist what you're doing, then you can be removed from office."
"We have a president that preaches law and order, but he doesn't mean law and order. He means order and law. He means 'allow me to do whatever I choose,' and then you find some law to justify my behavior."
Then Green put up a new poster board on the easel labeled "Censured Not Silenced."
Censured Not Silenced
That got covered up quickly with another one he held in his hand labeled "Countdown to Impeachment."
"Those who will vote for it, will be known as supporters of what I believe will be the last effort that we have to prevent this president from becoming a full-blown dictator. He is right now a defacto dictator."
"He is testing to see if if there will be people who have courage to hold him in check."
Green then talks the impeachment process in the House and how there will be a motion to table the articles of impeachment, which will mean that there will be no debate. Those that vote for the motion will be those who oppose the articles of impeachment.
"If we wait until there are tanks rolling into major cities, as the capitals of cities, it will be too late...We have to stop him as soon as possible..."
"This country was not designed by the framers of the Constitution to be ruled by executive order... he has lawyers with unlimited resources, and those who oppose him have limited resources....You can't ignore the Supreme Court, you have the Treasury of the United States of America backing you. You have an attorney general who knows nothing but 'yes.' No way to say, 'Mr President, reconsider.' Your Secretary of State will do a similar thing. No one around you will challenge you."
"I assure you that there will be at least one vote to impeach Donald John Trump, President of the United States."
14 minute speech by Al Green on his YouTube channel.
I can guarantee there will be two. Rep. Shri Thanedar will be there. He has his own set of seven articles of impeachment he's already introduced.
Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia would vote, but he can't. He wants to write his own articles up for Trump's cryptocurrency ventures, which are out and out bribes for access to the president, and then give them to somebody in the House to introduce them.
Al Green promised he will introduce his articles of impeachment next week. He laid out on Thursday his outline of them. The disregard of the Constitution's guarantee of due process, ignoring the writ of habeas corpus, threatening to impeach judges who rule against him, and for disobeying the Supreme Court of the United States.
Green described Trump as being a defacto dictator, ruling by executive order. Trump could care less what people say, because no one is stopping him. We have two Congressmen who now say "We will stop you, we won't let you destroy this country."
Because, Al Green shall rise again and start his countdown to impeachment. He will not be bullied, he will not be afraid, and he will not stop until Donald Trump is removed from office.
He starts next week.
