Tuesday morning, Rep. Al Green (D-TX) filed an article of impeachment against President Donald Trump over the United States’ strike on three sites in Iran this weekend.

Green’s article of impeachment alleges that Trump violated Article I, Section 8, Clause 11 of the Constitution. That section says only Congress can declare war.

“In starting his illegal and unconstitutional war with Iran without the constitutionally-mandated consent of Congress or appropriate notice to Congress, President Trump acted in direct violation of the War Powers Clause of the Constitution. President Trump has devolved and continues to devolve American democracy into authoritarianism by disregarding the separation of powers and now, usurping congressional war powers,” Green wrote.

READ MORE: Just 100 Days in and Trump White House Is Already Prepping for Impeachment: Report

Though the meat of the impeachment article is about Iran, Green also calls out other objectionable things done by Trump.

“President Trump’s unilateral, unprovoked use of force without congressional authorization or notice constitutes an abuse of power when there was no imminent threat to the United States, which facilitates the devolution of American democracy into authoritarianism, with an authoritarian president who has instigated an attack on the United States Capitol, denied persons due process of the law, and called for the impeachment of federal judges who ruled against him—making Donald J. Trump a threat to American democracy,” he said.

Green’s article of impeachment is unlikely to go anywhere. The House is controlled 220-212 by the Republican party. Even though some House Republicans like Thomas Massie (R-WV) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) have criticized Trump’s action in Iran, even if every Democrat voted in favor of impeachment, it would be a tall order for nine Republicans to flip. An article of impeachment only needs a simple majority in the House before going to the Senate.

Trump is the only president to be successfully impeached twice. However, he has never been convicted.

Though Trump did not have Congressional approval to order the U.S. to attack Iran—and, according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, they were only informed afterward—the Constitution isn’t as clear as it might sound. The last time Congress declared war was in 1942, but there have been many wars since then, but by different names; the Korean War was officially a “police action.”

The president is officially Commander-in-Chief of the United States Military, and as such, can order a response to attacks, or other limited military actions without the approval of Congress. During the Vietnam War (another “police action”), President Richard Nixon ordered the secret bombings of Cambodia without informing Congress. Once this was revealed, Congress passed the War Powers Resolution, which puts limits on what the president can do without Congressional approval.

Under the War Powers Resolution, a president can order a military action, but must inform Congress within 48 hours. Armed forces cannot stay in an area for over 60 days, though they can have a window of an additional 30 days to withdraw.

Trump has been accused of violating the War Powers Resolution twice before. The first was in 2017, when Trump ordered a missile strike in Syria over allegations the country had used chemical weapons. Next was in 2020 when the U.S. killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in a drone strike. Neither of these accusations, however, resulted in anything.

Image via Reuters

U.S. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is blasting her House Republican colleagues who privately say they support impeaching President Donald Trump, but are too afraid to do so.

Responding to a tweet from Politico’s chief political correspondent that says some Republicans want to impeach but are getting death threats, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted, “I get it, but some of us just spent the last 2 years taking stances that have led to repeated attempts on our lives – for demanding guaranteed healthcare, immigrant justice, etc.”

“Sorry if this lacks empathy, but it’s a privilege if this is their first time. They can do one vote.”

“Many of them,” she continued, referring to GOP lawmakers, “rode the wave of this violent rhetoric, or at the very least sat idly by it. Now is our chance to stop it.”

“This is what we are sent to Congress to do – the tough stuff. All the easy choices are taken. If any GOP need advice on how to deal with it, they can call me.”

She wasn’t quite done.

AOC also responded to a video of her blasting any Republican who supports the Confederacy or even hesitates for a second to denounce it, telling them: “maybe you should resign.”

To some of my colleagues who clearly need the reminder: the Confederacy were traitors to our democracy and white supremacists will never win. 🌞

If any of you has trouble with that, maybe you should resign because you’re not ready to run an ant farm, let alone serve in Congress. https://t.co/fiQIVobZNv

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 13, 2021

Outraged, she says in the video that the rioters “flew the Confederate flag for the first time in American history. It didn’t even make it in during the Civil War.”

“And there were Members [of Congress} cheering them on,” she reveals. “You had a Member of Congress, from Colorado, saying, ‘my people are outside.'”

To every Member of Congress who voted to overturn the election, AOC said, “If you so much – if any member of Congress so much as stutters to say that the Confederacy were traitors to the United States, that the Confederacy is a legion of white supremacists, if you so much as stutter to say that, turn in your pin and get out.”

Watch:

.@AOC: If any member of Congress so much as stutters to say that the Confederacy were traitors to the United States, turn in your pin and get out. pic.twitter.com/zAibdHmYAq

— Public Citizen (@Public_Citizen) January 13, 2021

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U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is privately saying he supports the impeachment of President Donald Trump, whom he blames for the loss of GOP control of the Senate.

McConnell, who will become Minority Leader next week, “has told associates he believes President Trump committed impeachable offenses and that he is pleased that Democrats are moving to impeach him, believing that it will make it easier to purge him from the party,” The New York Times reports.

But McConnell refuses to take up the House Article of Impeachment, which is fully expected to pass Wednesday or Thursday at the latest. Democrats in both chambers are demanding Trump be removed from office immediately, after he incited a deadly insurrection. McConnell has steadfastly refused to call the Senate back in to session before its scheduled January 19 return.

It is, however, the first time McConnell has privately signaled support for any action against President Trump. The Kentucky Republican lawmaker has locked his political fortunes to Trump.

McConnell also support censure of Trump, something Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) refuses to consider, saying impeachment is the only recourse.

This is a breaking news and developing story. Details may change. This story will be updated, and NCRM will likely publish follow-up stories on this news. Stay tuned and refresh for updates.