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Stevens attempted to portray her impeachment filing as a dire necessity rather than political theater, claiming, “His actions are reckless, his leadership is harmful, and his tenure has become a direct threat to our nation’s health and security. Congress cannot and will not stand by while one man dismantles decades of medical progress.”
The articles of impeachment themselves allege that Kennedy “has abused the powers of his office and failed to faithfully execute the laws of the United States, in violation of his constitutional oath and his duty under Article II, Section 3, of the Constitution.” According to Stevens’ filing, Kennedy’s leadership supposedly “has imperiled the health and safety of the American people, eroded public confidence in the Nation’s public health institutions, and stalled decades of scientific and medical progress.”
But even left-leaning media outlets aren’t buying it.
According to a report from The New York Times, Stevens appears to be using impeachment as a springboard for her anticipated 2026 Senate campaign — describing her move as “an all but certainly futile bid.” The Times noted that Stevens sought input from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries before rolling out her accusations.
Yet despite her attempt to rally fellow Democrats, the Times pointed out that “Democratic leaders are not backing it.”
Behind the scenes, the impeachment gambit is not impressing Democrats who are familiar with Stevens’ electoral struggles. As the Times reported, “Some of her colleagues viewed it as the politically motivated move of a candidate who has struggled to gain traction in a heated primary, in which she is facing off against two dynamic candidates who are further to the left than she is.”
Stevens, unsurprisingly, pushed back against accusations of election-year theatrics. She insisted, “I am not one for political theater. I am for standing up for the health and safety of the people I represent. It’s pretty clear that these are life-and-death issues for folks.”
The Biden administration quickly responded through HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon, who defended Kennedy and dismissed Stevens’ impeachment attempt as partisan noise. He stated that Kennedy “remains focused on the work of improving Americans’ health and lowering costs, not on partisan political stunts that have no merit.”
Stevens’ move wasn’t the only impeachment drama coming from Michigan Democrats this week. NBC News reported that Rep. Shri Thanedar — who is also embroiled in a tough primary — filed impeachment articles against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Thanedar, like Stevens, is fighting for political survival after facing a well-funded challenger backed by the progressive group Justice Democrats.
With two Michigan Democrats launching two separate impeachment efforts in the same week, the pattern isn’t hard to spot. As both lawmakers face increasingly competitive primaries, impeachment appears to be the latest weapon in their political toolbox — not because it will succeed, but because it might grab them the headlines they can’t earn any other way.
Whether these efforts go anywhere is doubtful. What is clear, however, is that Democrats are now using impeachment not as a constitutional safeguard, but as a campaign tactic.
