Democratic congressman to issue articles of impeachment against Trump on first day of new Congress

Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Rep. Brad Sherman mid-interview on Capitol Hill.

• Democratic Rep. Brad Sherman on Thursday said he's planning to issue articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump as a new session of Congress begins. 
• The California congressman issued articles of impeachment against Trump in 2017, but what makes this more significant is the fact Democrats are now taking over control of the House from the GOP.
• But it's not clear other Democrats, including House Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi, are on board with pursuing impeachment proceedings at present. 

Democratic Rep. Brad Sherman on Thursday said he's planning to issue articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump as a new session of Congress begins. 

Sherman's measure accuses the president of obstruction of justice in relation to the controversial firing of former FBI Director James Comey. 

"There is no reason it shouldn't be before the Congress," Sherman told The Los Angeles Times. "Every day, Donald Trump shows that leaving the White House would be good for our country."

Read more: Trump has been implicated in several federal crimes, but here's why experts say he hasn't faced legal consequences

The California congressman issued articles of impeachment against Trump in 2017, but what makes this more significant is the fact Democrats are now taking over control of the House from the GOP. 

With that said, it's not clear other Democrats, including House Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi, are on board with pursuing impeachment proceedings at present. 

Pelosi on Thursday indicated to "TODAY" she's not ruling out impeachment for Trump but doesn't plan to pursue it at this time. She said "we'll have to wait and see what comes" from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian election interference and allegations of collusion against the Trump campaign before moving forward.

Read more: Majority of Americans say Trump is lying about the Russia investigation

"We shouldn't be impeaching for a political reason, and we shouldn't avoid impeachment for a political reason," Pelosi said. 

The Democratic leader also said that it's an "open discussion" whether or not a sitting president can be indicted. 

"Everything indicates that a president can be indicted after he is no longer president," she added. 

It's against Justice Department policy to indict a sitting president, but not settled law. Accordingly, there's an ongoing debate on whether Trump can face charges over the crimes he's been implicated in by his former personal attorney Michael Cohen.