Chron: Houston Rep. Sylvia Garcia in no rush to impeach Trump

February 2, 2019

By Jeremy Wallace Updated 8:29 am CST, Saturday, February 2, 2019

One of the newest members of Houston's delegation to Congress will have a front-row seat when and if Democrats consider trying to impeach President Donald Trump.

U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, a Houston Democrat and former judge, has won a position on the highly sought after House Judiciary Committee, a panel that would have primary oversight over any impeachment proceedings. Some Democrats are already calling for them to be initiateaid.

But Garcia said that is not a high priority right now for the committee and insists there are other more pressing issues for the committee.

"If we're going to look at those issues, it's going to be down the road," said Garcia, who in November was elected to represent the 29th Congressional District, replacing former Rep. Gene Green, who did not seek re-election.

Garcia's response aligns perfectly with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other key Democratic leaders who say they don't want to get ahead of special counsel Robert Mueller and won't rush into discussions about impeachment.

"We have to wait and see what happens with the Mueller report," Pelosi said in an interview with NBC News last month. "We shouldn't be impeaching for a political reason, and we shouldn't avoid impeachment for a political reason."

That's a far different approach than some more senior Democrats from Houston have taken on potential impeachment. U.S. Rep. Al Green, D-Houston at least twice he has brought articles of impeachment to the House floor and both times he failed with little support from even some of the most anti-Trump lawmakers in his own party.

Garcia, who holds a law degree from Texas Southern University, said she angled to get on Judiciary because of her background. Garcia served five terms as a municipal judge and says civil rights issues and constitutional rights have been her biggest passions. She is also a veteran of the Texas Senate where Republicans led efforts to impose voter ID requirements that Democrats say are discriminatory.

Garcia is not the only Houston area Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee. U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, is on that committee, as is newly elected U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso. Two Texas Republicans are also on the committee. U.S. Reps. Louie Gohmert, R-Tyler, and John Ratcliffe, R-Heath. Garcia, 68, also was given a seat on the Financial Services Committee.

Other new members in the Houston delegation have also picked up their new committee assignments. U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, a Republican and former Navy SEAL, joined the Homeland Security Committee and the Budget Committee. And U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, a Democrat, has been named to the Science Committee, which has jurisdiction over NASA.Fletcher has also been appointed to the House Transportation Committee.