Demography leaders feel pressured by Trump's strategy

Democrat House leaders struggling to manage their oversight of the Trump administration are increasingly squeezed by the two wings of their caucus.

Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelos – Night Defense – Presented by Huntington Ingalls Industries – Pentagon Approves Transfer of 0.5 B to Border Wall | Dems blow blow | House Dem pushes Pelosi to sue Trump's veto in Yemen There is an imminent constitutional crisis, but it's not about the drafting of the Mueller report The sponsor of a Yemen resolution pushing Pelosi to sue Trump's veto MORE (D-Calif.) Is a scathing critic of President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump: officials plan to use court-ordered removals to expel migrant families: report Senator asks Senate to investigate Giuliani's planned trip to Ukrainebut rejected first calls for impeachment hearings, preferring aggressive investigations into possible abuse of administrative power.

This methodical approach has a lot of support within the democratic caucus, particularly from moderates in battlefield districts who are wary of the political fallout from the impeachment process. But cracks start to appear on the edges.

On the left, a number of progressive lawmakers now warn that the management's strategy is not aggressive enough to deal with a president they consider unfit to perform his duties. And from the center, some vulnerable moderates fear that even a cautious approach may alienate moderate voters and hurt centrist Democrats in next year's polls.

"There are risks everywhere," said representative Jefferson Van Drew (D), a New Jersey freshman who toppled a Republican seat in mid-November.

Van Drew said the multi-year investigative saga of Trump's conduct resonated with bitter supporters, both those who worship the president and those who hate him. But "the amorphous big group of people in between," he warned, has reached a phase of "exhaustion of the investigation" with a team including a special counsel Robert MuellerRobert (Bob) Swan MuellerSasse: US should applaud Mueller's choice to lead the investigation over Russia MORE and Attorney General William BarrWilliam Pelham BarrNadler accuses Trump of "direct attack on the constitutional order" in a letter to DOJ Nadler said that Mueller would not testify next week. Former FBI lawyer defends agency's investigation of Trump campaign leaders MORE.

"What comes up most often with these people is, in all honesty, they want this to end," he said. "Mueller, Barr the President, everyone – they sent us to Congress to get things done."

Nevertheless, a vocal liberal faction of the party is pushing the other side of the spectrum, arguing that Democratic leaders are showing too much softness to Trump and his administration – and could deflate the party base if they do not become no more aggressive.

"All my constituents tell me is that we have to get rid of this president. That's all I hear, "Rep said. John YarmuthJohn Allen YarmuthDems states that NYT report on Trump's commercial losses boosts the need to consult the president's tax returns The increase in public debt threat Trump, Dem is hoping for an infrastructure Night health care: the House Dems presents a moderate expansion plan for Medicare | CBO publishes an analysis on a single payer | Sanders hits the Biden PLUS health plan (D-Ky.), Chairman of the House Budget Committee, warned of the political risk that Democrats' inquiries will not produce public results in the coming months.

"If we come to the fall and nothing has happened, that no report has been published and no one has been referred, we risk to demoralize all the members of our people who are pushing us very hard to act against the administration, "Yarmuth said.

Democrats increased the stakes in their confrontation with the administration on Wednesday when the Judiciary Committee of the House voted to recommend that Barr be found guilty of contempt of Congress. Pelosi did not say when she would introduce the measure, but she described the front wall of the administration as a "constitutional crisis" – a framework that only inflamed the Liberals who pushed her to destitution.

"We can not tolerate that the indication of a constitutional crisis is only a matter for discussion, it must act as a point of action", said the representative. Al GreenAlexander (Al) N. GreenTlaib and Green will present a petition signed by more than 10 million people calling for the removal of Trump Pelosi: "Trump urges us to remove her" Candidates for Dem. Complicate the treatment of the dismissal of Pelosi PLUS (D-Texas), who became the main defender of the destitution on Capitol Hill. "And the constitutional solution to a constitutional crisis is dismissal."

Pelosi has long pleaded against impeachment, warning that it was simply unachievable until the public got its support – a message she amplified on Thursday.

"Impeachment is one of the most controversial things you can do – divide a country – unless your case is really clear and clear to the American people," she said.

Others formulated their opposition in even harsher political terms, warning that the majority of the House of Democrats is at stake. They recently came to accuse Trump of trying to "incite" them to indictment for this very reason. .

"The impeachment would be a suicide mission for us. That would guarantee [Trump] re-election may have cost us in the House, you know, that would jeopardize any chance in the Senate, and that would embolden [Republicans], Said a Democratic legislator who sits on a committee that is currently investigating the Trump administration.

Yet the publication of Mueller's report on Russian electoral intervention has changed the game, even in the eyes of some moderate Democrats, who are now preparing for removal. Some say that they must assume their congressional oversight functions, even if it involves a political cost.

Losing the house "would be a heavy price to pay and I hope it is not necessary. But I also think that the House has clients and a role to play, including protecting the constitutional system, "Rep. Gerry ConnollyGerald (Gerry) Edward ConnollySenate fails to defeat President Trump's veto of Yemen Senators Dems put a stop to Trump's dismissal Dems' scorn accusations to Trump officials MORE (D-Va.), Member of the House Oversight and Reform Committee.

The diversity of opinions – and the scale of the issues – have exacerbated the challenges faced by Pelosi and his management team.

Most of her troops, including the vulnerable moderates, claim that she found the right balance between aggressive surveillance – without charge – while remaining focused on the economic agenda that Democrats promised voters at the time. the campaign last year.

"There are many moderates who think that dismissal may not be the answer, but supervision is essential," said an alternative district democrat. "Nobody at home – even in the midst of a target we have to tackle – will accept the fact that we should just let go of our responsibilities." It's a two-way street. can not give up one of the tracks. "

Party leaders warn that future judicial battles will almost surely unfold until 2020, keeping Trump investigations in the spotlight at a time when moderates are hoping to focus on issues closer to home. at their home.

"This is a fundamental problem," said the majority leader in the House. Steny HoyerSteny Hamilton HoyerDems struggles to bend Trump to probes Tweets on Trump – and Dems pulls two tickets off the ground This week: The battle breaks over Mueller's testimony MORE (D-Md.). "So, if it takes a year and a half, it's a relatively short period in the history of our country."

And even as Pelosi tried to curb the beatings of the impeachment drum, the leaders of his committee began throwing red meat at the base, arguing that the White House was preparing the obstruction charges of the Democrats by obstructing it. to their investigative efforts, including subpoenas. current and former officials of the administration.

More and more great democrats suggest that the "I-word" is the ultimate answer.

"If there must be this stone wall, we will have to consider extraordinary solutions," said the chairman of the House's intelligence committee. Adam SchiffAdam Bennett SchiffHouse Dems alleges that the complaint against Trump blocks the "legitimate" congressional Instagram probes blocks #VaccinesKill, examines other anti-vaccine hashtags Schiff says Congress weighs heavy fines for Trump officials who escape the subpoenas to appear MORE (D-Calif.) Said Friday.