‘I physically was trapped’: Dems roll out excusespalooza for missing vote

Democrat lawmakers are under fire for missing an impeachment vote on War Secretary Pete Hegseth, and some are blaming traffic for their absence.

Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM) claimed she “physically was trapped” by a traffic jam and missed the procedural vote targeting Hegseth, which was brought by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.).

“I was trapped right there at that street corner because there was a police motorcade moving buses off of the campus,” Stansbury told Fox News congressional correspondent Bill Melugin.

NEW: Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM) was one of the eleven House Dems who missed last night’s House vote to impeach War Secretary Pete Hegseth. She blames DC traffic. I caught up with her on the hill today to ask if she thinks that excuse will fly w/ Dems on such a high priority vote for them & why she didn’t plan ahead.

REP STANSBURY: “I was trapped right there at that street corner because there was a police motorcade moving busses off of the campus. And I physically was trapped right at that corner in my vehicle, in traffic, because the police had shut down traffic.”

Q: Why not come here sooner?

REP STANSBURY: “Because I did, and I was trapped in my vehicle because of a police motorcade.”

Q: “The vote was public since Monday, and the vote was left open for a while, do you think traffic is going to work as an excuse?”

REP STANSBURY: “It was not open for a while, they gaveled the vote as soon as they could.”

(The vote was scheduled for 15 minutes but was open for more than 30 minutes. The vote was also scheduled and advised in advance on Monday night).

— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) November 11, 2026

“And I physically was trapped right at that corner in my vehicle in traffic because the police had shut down traffic in both directions,” the congresswoman added.

When Melugin asked why she would not have come earlier, Stansbury replied, “Because I did, and I was trapped in my vehicle because of a police motorcade.”

“The vote was public since Monday, and the vote was left open for a while. Do you think traffic is gonna work as an excuse?” Melugin asked.

“It was not open for a while. They gaveled the vote as soon as they could,” Stansbury fired back.

The House ended up voting 211 to 204 to refer the eight articles of impeachment to committee.

“The vote was scheduled for 15 minutes but was open for more than 30 minutes. The vote was also scheduled and advised in advance on Monday night,” Melugin noted in his post on X.

Stansbury, meanwhile, issued a video apology sticking to the Democratic narrative: “I am genuinely and sincerely sorry. But, this is not the end—it is just the beginning.”

I am genuinely and sincerely sorry. But, this is not the end—it is just the beginning. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/Exc23k5qLE

— Rep. Melanie Stansbury (@Rep_Stansbury) November 11, 2026

Stansbury was among 11 of her Democratic colleagues who missed the vote, but she wasn’t the only one blaming traffic. Rep. Laura Gillen (D-N.Y.), Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.), Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-Wash.), and Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.) all cited traffic as a reason.

TMZ confronts Rep. John Jackson (D-IL) about missing the Hegseth impeachment vote. He blamed a traffic jam.

But TMZ asks why they saw him on the House steps already 10 minutes before the vote?

— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) November 11, 2026

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Frieda Powers

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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.

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