David Manney says Massie picked a real constitutional fight but the wrong target
David ManneyConservative opinion columnist writing for PJ Media
Manney credited Massie for forcing a war-powers question but argued that impeaching Hegseth targets the wrong official, because the dispute over continuing a war lies between Congress and the president.
“Massie deserves credit for forcing Congress to confront a question too many lawmakers would rather leave blurry. America shouldn't drift into permanent war simply because presidents of either party find congressional approval inconvenient. But a serious constitutional dispute deserves the correct opponent. Massie found the fight. But like an idiot, he aimed at the wrong man.”
Analysis
Where this statement fits
Should Pete Hegseth be impeached?
Members of the House have advanced multiple impeachment proposals involving Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Rep. Shri Thanedar introduced H.Res. 935 in December 2025, Rep. Yassamin Ansari introduced H.Res. 1177 in April 2026, and Rep. Thomas Massie announced in September that he would offer a privileged resolution. The proposals allege distinct conduct involving military operations, oversight, and the handling of sensitive information; the proposals themselves do not establish those allegations. Hegseth disputed the characterization that anyone was “texting war plans,” while Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson called the April effort a charade and, after Massie read his articles on September 15, defended Hegseth’s record without addressing the specific allegations. The dispute is whether the House should impeach Hegseth on the basis of the congressional proposals and available evidence.
Source and context
Analysis
About this source
Opinion column timestamped 5:12 PM ET on September 15, 2026, hours after Massie read the articles on the House floor.
Before the quotation
Manney set out the administration's position that the June concurrent resolution lacked the force of law under INS v. Chadha and that Article II authority covers defending American forces, then turned to Massie's choice of target.
After the quotation
He argued that Congress should instead pass binding legislation, restrict funding, or force a veto and override it, and said impeaching Hegseth offers a more convenient defendant than those politically painful steps.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Manney opposes this impeachment while explicitly declining to excuse Hegseth, writing that cabinet officers can be impeached and that following an unlawful order does not erase personal responsibility. He also endorses the underlying grievance. That mix of opposing the remedy without defending the conduct is why this is not labelled a defense.
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The Dispute Index. "David Manney says Massie picked a real constitutional fight but the wrong target". First published: 2026-09-16. Last updated: 2026-09-22. https://disputeindex.com/events/726-manney-credited-massie-for-forcing-a-war-powers