Messmer Votes to Refer Hegseth Articles

Rep. Mark Messmer, R-8th District, voted Tuesday to refer articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to the House Judiciary Committee.

The House adopted the motion to refer, 211–204, at 6:02 p.m. Eastern, according to the Office of the Clerk. The roll call was on H. Res. 1655, introduced by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky.

The motion, once adopted, sends the impeachment resolution to the Judiciary Committee and removes it from the House floor. NPR reported that the vote "short-circuits any potential floor vote on the articles of impeachment, and virtually guarantees the measure will not be taken up before the current session of Congress expires."

NBC News reported Monday that Massie filed the measure as privileged, which under House rules would bring the articles up for a floor vote within two legislative days, and that Republicans could offer a motion requiring a majority vote to dispose of the resolution.

Messmer voted Yea. Republican Reps. Jim Baird of the 4th District, Erin Houchin of the 9th, Jefferson Shreve of the 6th, Victoria Spartz of the 5th and Marlin Stutzman of the 3rd also voted Yea. Democratic Reps. André Carson of the 7th District and Frank Mrvan of the 1st voted Nay. Rep. Rudy Yakym, R-2nd District, did not vote.

Massie was the only Republican to vote Nay. The Clerk recorded 210 Republican yeas, one Republican nay and seven Republicans not voting. No Democrat voted Yea. Eighteen members in all did not vote. One independent voted Yea.

Messmer's office had not issued a public statement on the vote as of Wednesday morning. His official House news page listed no release on the referral.

The resolution contains eight articles of impeachment. The first three accuse Hegseth of waging war in contravention of the War Powers Resolution of 1973, including U.S. hostilities against Iran that the articles say began on Feb. 28, 2026. Article IV accuses him of ignoring laws meant to minimize civilian casualties and cites the death or injury of more than 200 civilians at an elementary school in Minab, Iran. Article V charges extrajudicial killings. Article VI accuses Hegseth of suppressing free speech, including alleged retaliation against Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz. Article VII concerns the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores. Article VIII accuses Hegseth of directing what the resolution calls an unlawful war in Yemen.

Massie's office posted the text of the charges with a Nov. 9 press release. NBC News and PolitiFact also summarized the eight articles after the filing.

The Clerk listed the question as "On Motion to Refer."