Dec 13, 2019 — The Democrat running for the North Country’s seat in Congress is refusing to say whether she supports impeachment of President Donald Trump. After weeks of public hearings and witness testimony, Tedra Cobb from Canton, declined to tell NCPR how she would vote.

Cobb says careful review of charges is a "constitutional duty"

NCPR has as been asking Tedra Cobb for weeks how she views the controversial impeachment process now underway in the House. 

"Congress has a constitutional duty to find the truth, no matter where it will lead," Cobb said during a campaign stop in Plattsburgh November 20. "I hope that our elected officials will do their constitutional duty without playing political games, without being partisan."

NCPR asked whether she would vote Yes on impeachment and Cobb replied this way:  "I cannot say that anyone should answer that question right now because we do not have all the facts."

Cobb still won't say whether she would vote Yes or No

Three weeks later, Democrats in Congress have now released their full impeachment report, the written articles of impeachment and detailed the facts which they say support charges against the President.

Asked repeatedly again this week to disclose how she would vote based on the specific charges and the facts supporting them, Cobb declined and released only a brief statement.

“This is a serious matter of national security,” Cobb wrote. "Members of Congress have a Constitutional duty to examine all the evidence, weigh the facts and vote based on those alone.”

Cobb didn’t say whether she still has questions about the allegations or the facts or what process she is using to reach a decision.

A constitutional crisis, a perilous political decision

This is a challenging political moment for Cobb and a big early test for her campaign. Cobb’s silence on impeachment has drawn growing criticism from her Republican opponent in the House race, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, who has opposed impeachment from the outset. 

Meanwhile, the Washington Post is reporting that a growing number of House Democrats in districts won by President Trump may vote against impeachment.  President Trump won in every county in the 21st district except for Clinton County. 

But polls show that many rank-and-file Democrats, Cobb’s base voters, support impeaching the President. Much of Cobb’s fundraising success in recent weeks has come from Democrats nationally who are angered by Stefanik’s role defending the President.

Cobb’s team declined to say when she’ll make a decision about impeachment or make her views known publicly to voters.