Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) said Tuesday that she and several colleagues were unable to reach the Capitol in time to cast their votes against a Republican-led motion to sideline the impeachment of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, blaming a traffic incident and a police escort for the delay.
In a statement posted to X, Stansbury's office said she was "blocked from entering the Capitol to vote due a traffic incident and a police escort of a bus during the vote." By the time she reached the chamber, the vote had already concluded.
The House voted 211-204 to refer the impeachment articles to the Judiciary Committee, effectively killing the effort for the remainder of the current Congress. Stansbury said she filed a report of her "NO" vote with the Congressional Record as soon as she arrived.
The vote was the latest chapter in a bitter fight over Hegseth's leadership at the Pentagon. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) reintroduced eight articles of impeachment on Monday, accusing Hegseth of violating the Constitution and federal law through military operations in Iran, Yemen, the Caribbean, and elsewhere. Hegseth dismissed the charges, calling Massie "one disgruntled and defeated congressman" driven by personal resentment.
Massie was the only Republican to vote with Democrats against sending the resolution to committee. No Democrats supported the motion, but Rep. Kevil Kiley (I-Calif.) crossed the aisle to join Republicans in voting to refer it.
The narrow margin highlighted the political stakes. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) predicted Monday that Hegseth would likely face impeachment if Democrats regain control of the House, unless he resigns or President Trump fires him. Speaking on his podcast, Cruz said it was "extremely likely, if not certain, that the House will impeach him."
Stansbury's office emphasized her determination to hold Hegseth accountable, noting she "immediately filed a report of her vote of 'NO'" and insisting, "Pete Hegseth must be impeached now." The incident underscores the logistical challenges lawmakers can face when votes are called on short notice.
For Democrats, the missed votes were a frustrating coda to a procedural battle that has animated the party's base. The effort to impeach Hegseth has been a rallying point for progressive groups and some veterans' organizations, who argue his policies endanger national security. Republicans, meanwhile, have dismissed the impeachment push as a partisan distraction.
As the current Congress winds down, the Hegseth impeachment resolution appears stalled. But the issue is unlikely to disappear, especially if Democrats regain a House majority. For now, Stansbury and her colleagues are left to wonder what might have been if not for a traffic jam.
