‘Completely Out Of Bounds’: Rep. Bonamici Files Impeachment Articles Against Education Secretary Linda McMahon

Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) on Thursday filed formal articles of impeachment against Education Secretary Linda McMahon, accusing her of lying to Congress and of taking unlawful steps to shift core Education Department responsibilities to other federal agencies.

What's at issue

Bonamici's resolution charges that McMahon has engaged in a "willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law," breached public trust and made false statements before Congress. Central to the complaint are recent moves by the Education Department to transfer special education services to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and civil rights oversight to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

"It's completely out of bounds," Bonamici told ABC News after her floor remarks. "You can't just unilaterally move a program that Congress put at the Department of Education and put it somewhere else."

Department response

Education Department officials say the agency has broad authority to enter interagency agreements and that policy and oversight will remain vested in the Education Department, asserting students will not lose rights as a result of the transfers. In a post on X responding to Bonamici, McMahon wrote, "To the Democrats in Congress: do better," and defended the moves as part of an effort to improve student outcomes and reduce federal bureaucracy.

McMahon's post criticized what she described as chronic problems in the education system — low test scores, problems with the FAFSA rollout, classroom closures during COVID, and other controversial issues — arguing that acting to address those issues should not be considered an impeachable offense.

Oliver Contreras/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: Secretary of Education Linda McMahon attends a round table discussion hosted by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on "exposing weaponization against parents in schools" in Washington, D.C., June 11, 2026.

Political context and reactions

Bonamici's resolution has drawn more than a dozen Democratic co-sponsors. However, Democrats face long odds: the Republican-controlled House would need to approve impeachment articles, and a conviction would require a two-thirds Senate majority in a chamber also led by Republicans.

"This is not what an interagency agreement is for," Bonamici said at the Capitol. "It's not to be used to shut down a department."

Republican Education Committee Chairman Tim Walberg, a vocal supporter of McMahon, dismissed the impeachment effort, saying McMahon is carrying out the administration's mandate to rein in what he called a bloated bureaucracy and put students, parents and taxpayers first.

Lawmakers and watchdogs have also flagged related oversight questions: separate inquiries and reporting have examined transfers of student loan functions and other interagency moves, underscoring broader scrutiny of how the administration is reorganizing certain education responsibilities.

Outlook

Bonamici framed her action as a defense of public education and of parents and disability rights groups concerned about the department's changes. Whether the resolution advances beyond a symbolic rebuke will depend on the political calculus in a GOP-led House and Senate.