It is an excuse that is almost too absurd to believe.
11 House Democrats missed the Pete Hegseth impeachment vote.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth survived Republican Rep. Thomas Massie’s effort to impeach him because some House Democrats didn’t show up to work, but it appears that there were enough votes to successfully impeach Hegseth until a group of House Democrats left the Capitol to attend an event, then got stuck in traffic and missed the 5:30 PM ET vote.
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Andrew Solender of Axios posted on X:
Per several members: Some of the House Democrats who missed the Hegseth impeachment vote were on their way back from an Elect Democratic Women event at a venue about 1.5 miles down Pennsylvania Ave but got caught in a bumper-to-bumper traffic jam on Independence Ave. (the road on the House side of the Capitol complex).
Some members found other ways to get back to the Capitol because their cars were effectively stopped on the road. One got out and walked. Another got dropped off on the Senate side to avoid the traffic.
Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-WA) was one of the members who missed the vote, and her Chief of Staff Andrew Noh said in a statement, “The Congresswoman was stuck behind a motorcade and missed the vote by 1 minute. She would have voted against the motion to refer.”