Which House Democrats voted 'present' on the December 2025 impeachment tabling and what did each say?
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Executive summary
A bloc of House Democrats — including top Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries, Katherine Clark and Pete Aguilar — voted “present” on the Republican motion to table Rep. Al Green’s December 11, 2025, impeachment resolution, with reports saying 47 Democrats overall cast present votes while 23 Democrats voted to table and 140 opposed tabling (thus supporting advancing the articles) [1] [2] [3]. Democratic leaders framed their “present” votes as a tactical choice to prioritize policy fights like affordability and to demand full investigative work rather than a snap impeachment, while critics inside and outside the party expressed anger at leadership for what they see as sidelining accountability [1] [4] [5].
1. Who publicly acknowledged voting “present” and why — the leadership line
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Minority Whip Katherine Clark and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar issued a joint statement shortly before the vote saying, in effect, that they would vote “present” on the motion to table because “impeachment is a sacred constitutional vehicle” that requires serious work and because, for now, Democrats should focus on policy priorities like making life more affordable for everyday Americans; the statement concluded plainly: “Accordingly, we will be voting ‘present’ on today’s motion to table the impeachment resolution” [1]. That joint messaging frames the present vote as both a procedural restraint — reserving judgment until investigations produce a fuller record — and a political calculation to keep the party focused on midterm vulnerabilities and legislative priorities [1].
2. Other named Democrats who voted “present” and the media’s partial roster
Reporting by Axios and other outlets named additional high‑profile Democrats who shifted or cast “present” votes, including DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former Majority Leader Steny Hoyer [4]. Newsweek and Rep. Al Green’s office confirmed that the final tally included 47 members voting “present,” though the available reporting does not provide a single, complete list of all 47 names in the material provided here [3] [2]. Congressman Green’s office noted that a copy of members’ votes is accessible for review, indicating that an authoritative roll‑call exists even if not reproduced in these articles [2].
3. What dissenting Democrats said — the push to investigate, not table
Several Democrats publicly pushed the opposite tack: vote against tabling and send the resolution to committee for investigation. Ranking Member Jamie Raskin explicitly said he would vote against tabling and instead supported referring Rep. Green’s resolution to the House Judiciary Committee for hearings and an investigative report, arguing impeachment requires “comprehensive and exacting scrutiny of the relevant facts and law” and that rushing is inappropriate [5]. Raskin positioned his view as defending constitutional process — insisting that serious investigative groundwork, not an immediate floor ram, is the right path [5].
4. Political calculus and critiques — why “present” enraged some Democrats
The decision by some senior Democrats to vote “present” drew sharp criticism from colleagues and commentators who view repeated, expedited impeachment votes as a legitimate accountability tool; Axios observed that the vote “enraged Democrats,” many of whom resent leadership for appearing to protect the president or demur in the face of alleged abuses [4]. Leadership’s stated motive — preserving unity for policy fights and avoiding a rushed impeachment without committee work — reveals the political tradeoffs facing the minority party: the need to show toughness to the base versus the risk of handing messaging victories to Republicans and distracting from legislative priorities [1] [4].
5. Limits of available reporting and where to find the complete roll call
Reporting here establishes the existence of a leadership‑backed “present” position and names several prominent members who followed it, and it records the aggregate numbers (47 present, 23 in favor of tabling, 140 opposed) [2] [3]. However, the specific identities and individual public statements of all 47 Democratic members who voted “present” are not listed in the provided sources; Rep. Green’s office indicates a roll‑call is available for anyone seeking the full list of how each member voted [2]. For a definitive roster and verbatim statements from each member, the official House roll call and members’ press releases should be consulted [2].