WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
  • Nancy Pelosi missed the 211 to 204 Hegseth impeachment vote while receiving a veterans advocacy award in San Francisco.
  • Eleven Democrats missed the vote, prompting angry criticism from colleagues who said lawmakers knew it was coming.
  • Thomas Massie was the only Republican to signal support for the impeachment effort.
  • The resolution now heads to the Republican controlled Judiciary Committee, where it could stall without a vote on the charges.

Nancy Pelosi missed a potentially decisive House vote on Pete Hegseth’s impeachment while attending a California ceremony where she received a lifetime achievement award, leaving fellow Democrats fuming after their effort failed.

The vote ended 211 to 204, with Republican Thomas Massie serving as the only Republican to signal support. Massie filed the articles of impeachment against Hegseth, but 11 Democrats, including Pelosi, did not cast ballots.

The New York Times reported that Republicans had worried absences within their own ranks could allow the impeachment push to advance. Instead, the missing Democrats helped leave the effort short on Tuesday night.

While several absent lawmakers said traffic prevented them from reaching the vote, Pelosi flew back to California on Tuesday, according to SFGate. Pelosi spokesperson Ian Krager said she supported the impeachment effort and would have voted to move it forward.

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Krager said Pelosi returned to San Francisco for Swords to Plowshares’ 30th Annual Veterans Day Celebration. The Bay Area nonprofit provides services to veterans in the region, and Pelosi received its Lifetime Advocate for Veterans Award.

“Speaker Emerita Pelosi returned to San Francisco to join and honor local veterans at Swords to Plowshares' 30th Annual Veterans Day Celebration tonight, an important and longstanding district tradition she regularly attends and will mark for the last time as a Member of Congress by receiving the Lifetime Advocate for Veterans Award,” Krager said.

The absences sparked sharp criticism from Democrats who knew the impeachment vote was coming. California Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove said, “We knew that this vote was coming, so people should have gotten their raggedy selves up these steps to vote.”

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also voiced frustration. “I don't know why people weren't here. Someone may have a health issue. I don't know. But obviously, having a vote like that on attendance is hard. That hurts,” she said.

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Senator elect Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan was even more direct during an interview with CNN. “You should show up and do your job,” he said.

Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico, Jonathan Jackson of Illinois, Brittany Pettersen of Colorado, Laura Gillen of New York and Julia Brownley of California blamed traffic entering the Capitol during a police escort for a bus. Brownley claimed House Speaker Mike Johnson closed the vote before they arrived.

California Congressman Lou Correa said he was missing votes while undergoing a medical procedure and staying home “on my doctor's advice.” Congressmembers Haley Stevens, Steven Horsford, Marilyn Strickland and Frederica Wilson offered no public explanation for their absences.

Massie’s eight articles accuse Hegseth of waging war in Iran without congressional authorization, ignoring laws intended to minimize civilian casualties and illegally directing the seizure of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro. Massie also criticized Hegseth for severely limiting press access at the Pentagon.

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President Donald Trump celebrated the result on Truth Social, calling it an “exoneration” of Hegseth. “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,” Trump wrote.

The resolution now heads to the Republican controlled Judiciary Committee, which can consider it or leave it untouched. The latter course would allow the impeachment drive to stall without a vote on the underlying charges.

Democrats are set to take control of Congress on January 3 and could begin another impeachment effort. Massie’s resolution will expire when the new Congress convenes, so another lawmaker would have to introduce the charges again.

Incoming House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries backed the resolution, telling ABC This Week, “I'm a hard yes on the Hegseth resolution.” Jeffries accused Hegseth of abusing his power, undermining national security and engineering the war in Iran.

Louisiana Republican Clay Higgins called the push “1,000% politically motivated” and said Massie was not “constitutionally motivated.” Tennessee Republican Tim Burchett told the Daily Mail that “no crimes were committed” by Hegseth.

Hegseth dismissed the effort during a Pentagon briefing. “What one disgruntled and defeated congressman is attempting is not oversight, and it's not accountability,” he said, adding, “It's a political spectacle.”

A simple House majority was required to pass an impeachment resolution, while conviction in a Senate trial would require a two thirds vote. Massie has said he would drop the impeachment push only if Hegseth resigns, while Trump has continued standing behind his Pentagon chief.

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