Alameda may be second Bay Area city to call for Trump impeachment

ALAMEDA, Calif. (KGO) -- Alameda could become the second city in the Bay Area to call on Congress to impeach President Trump.

They'll be debating that very issue at Tuesday night's city council meeting.

Katie Cameron is holding a resolution that Alameda's city council could pass into law. "Which asks Congress to initiate impeachment proceedings pertaining to Donald Trump," she said.

Her group Alameda for Impeachment even drafted its own articles of impeachment. "Compromise the integrity of the U.S. election, which refers to the Russian connections, and then we have obstruction of justice," it says.

The group is also concerned about conflicts of interest from the president's business assets. "And of course we don't know the nature of all of them because he's never released his tax returns," she said.

At least two city council members are on board. "This is really us trying to compel the federal government to do what is fully within its power to do," Alameda Vice Mayor Malia Vella said.

Impeachment is a federal proceeding - a local government can't impeach a president. So all the resolution would really do is make a statement, but a statement is exactly what supporters are going for.

"It can be a rolling message across the country to the Congress," Cameron said.

Indeed, two weeks ago, the city of Richmond became the first to call for President Trump's impeachment. "If cities like Richmond and Alameda can take a stand, other cities can. It always has to start with somebody, change has to start with somebody," Vella said.

VIDEO: Richmond City Council unanimously approves Trump impeachment resolution

But council member Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft says she's heard from lots of constituents. "Some wanting me to support the resolution and some wanting me not to," she said.

She says the council recently set priorities for how they want to spend city time and resources. "The homelessness problem we're seeing grow in our city, traffic and transportation is a constant issue," Ashcraft added. "I just have to say that impeaching the president wasn't on that list."

But she'll hear the arguments. "I never make up my mind until I'm sitting there in the council chambers," she said.

And she'll have plenty to listen to.

Click here for more stories about President Donald Trump.