Impeachment debate divides Democrats as 2018 wave builds

“Impeachment, it’s not something you ought to welcome. It’s not something you ought to be ready to — it’s not something you want,” said Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), who was elected by his colleagues last week to be the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, the panel that handles impeachment matters.

If Democrats retake the House, Nadler will instantly become the party’s gatekeeper on the issue. In fact, his expertise in constitutional law — as well as his outsized voice opposing the Clinton impeachment in 1998 — was a factor in his selection to lead committee Democrats. While he says impeachment would surely be on the table in a Democrat-led House, it’s far from certain it would be the right call — politically or constitutionally. And it’ll be up to his committee to tell voters why.