An Illinois Democrat who blamed Washington traffic for missing a critical House vote involving Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is now facing uncomfortable questions after a reporter claimed he saw the congressman near the Capitol before voting had ended.
Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-IL) found himself in the spotlight Wednesday after TMZ reporter Charlie Cotton challenged his explanation for missing Tuesday’s procedural vote. The exchange quickly turned awkward when Cotton confronted Jackson with an account that appeared to contradict the congressman’s traffic-related excuse.
The controversy stems from a House vote that effectively halted an impeachment effort against Hegseth, despite months of Democratic criticism directed at the Pentagon chief.
On Tuesday, lawmakers voted 211-204 to send eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth to the House Judiciary Committee. The procedural maneuver, backed by Republicans, effectively put the impeachment push on ice for the remainder of the congressional session.
