Some House Democrats might not vote to impeach President Donald Trump, House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., said Friday.
"We do expect to lose some, and that's why I say it is a conscience vote," Clyburn, 79, who was first elected in 1992, told "New Day" on CNN.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that she had directed the House Judiciary Committee to draw up articles of impeachment against the president over his alleged activities regarding Ukraine.
"I think it would be a bit unseemly for us to go out, whipping up a vote on something like this," Clyburn said. "This is too serious.
"This is too much about preserving this great republic — and I think we ought to leave it up to each member to decide how he or she would like to vote."
Clyburn said that his Palmetto State Democratic colleague, Rep. Joe Cunningham, might oppose impeachment based on the concerns of his constituents.
President Trump won Cunningham's district in 2016. He is in his first term.
His office said in a statement Thursday that Cunningham condemned Trump's behavior but that the representative would reserve judgment until the specific impeachment articles are presented.
"I'm not going to urge him to vote the way I'm going to vote," Clyburn told CNN on Friday. "I think I've heard enough. I've seen enough.
"If we cannot vote to impeach with what we had in testimonies last week, what we've seen in news reports this week, then we ought to just modify the Constitution and get rid of impeachment altogether."
Rep. Jeff Van Drew, D-N.J., has said that he would oppose impeachment — and he and Minnesota Rep. Collin Peterson were the only Democrats to vote against the House resolution to formalize the impeachment investigation.
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