California Democrat launches longshot bid to impeach Trump 

President Donald Trump listens in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Monday, June 26, 2017. Democrats are out to capitalize on what they believe is growing public sentiment that President Donald Trump, the richest man to call the White House home, is turning his back on the regular people who got him elected in favor of his wealthy peers. The party is hoping that pitch will pack extra oomph at a time when even some Republicans are raising concerns that the GOP health-care plan could hurt the poor. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

WASHINGTON  — A California Democrat has filed an article of impeachment against President Donald Trump in a longshot bid to remove the president from office.

Rep. Brad Sherman filed the article Wednesday. In it, he accuses Trump of obstructing investigations into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, in part by firing former FBI Director James Comey.

Sherman acknowledges that filing the article is “the first step on a very long road.”

He has one co-sponsor, fellow Democrat Al Green of Texas. Democratic leaders have distanced themselves from the effort, believing it energizes Trump’s base.

Sherman filed the article a day after the president’s son, Donald Trump Jr., acknowledged that he met with a Russian lawyer during the campaign. The lawyer promised damaging information from the Russian government about Democrat Hillary Clinton.