Vote shows Pelosi's impeachment inquiry more partisan than Clinton effort

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is already falling behind the 1998 GOP in her impeachment push after Thursday’s vote to launch an inquiry, where she was unable to win a single Republican’s support.

The 232-196 vote even saw two Democrats side with the GOP against the effort, marking a stark break with 1998, the last time Congress pursued impeachment. In that instance 31 Democrats sided with all Republicans in a 257-176 vote launching an inquiry into President Clinton’s behavior.

The lack of bipartisan support could taint the inquiry this time around, and hinder any Democratic hopes of ousting President Trump in an eventual Senate trial.

Indeed, Republicans maintained remarkable unity in part because they believe the process Mrs. Pelosi is leading is unfair.

The resolution approved Thursday grants the intelligence committee the lead role, relegating the Judiciary Committee — which usually leads these sorts of proceedings — to a secondary spot.

Republicans said the resolution also denies the minority party — the GOP, in this case — the kinds of access to documents and subpoena powers granted to Democrats, the minority in 1998.

“Today’s resolution shows a Democratic House failing to give these same protections to a Republican president,” said Rep. Tom Cole, Oklahoma Republican. “Without those protections this will be seen as just another partisan exercise.”

But Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern, Massachusetts Democrat, insisted the GOP was being treated fairly — and in fact better than Mr. Clinton or President Nixon, who also faced impeachment in 1974.