Representative Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), otherwise known as Auntie Maxine, has been calling for Donald Trump’s impeachment for the last two years—basically since his inauguration. Waters was the first member of Congress to do so based on his behavior during the 2016 presidential campaign, his refusal to release his tax returns and his history of questionable financial dealings. 

Democrats in the House of Representatives officially launched a formal impeachment inquiry into Trump in late September. The investigation is based on reports that he abused presidential powers by seeking help from the government of Ukraine to look into former Vice President Joe Biden to help his own re-election campaign. 

Waters is one of six committee chairs involved in the impeachment inquiry process. She recently spoke to Blavity: Politics about her longstanding efforts to impeach Trump and what the public can expect from the process.

“It is well-known that I started calling for President Trump’s impeachment soon after he was inaugurated,” Waters explained. “The members of Congress were not eager to get involved with impeachment, and many of our new members certainly did not want to get involved; they didn’t know what it would mean in their re-elections. But now, we have more than a majority in our caucus.”

As the chair of the Financial Services Committee, Waters is specifically looking into Trump’s relationship with Deutsche Bank and his finances. Other committees are investigating Trump’s tax returns and his relationship with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who is accused by the U.S. Intelligence Community of interfering in the 2016 presidential election. 

Once the committee chairs complete the investigation, they will work with House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to draft an impeachment resolution containing information detailing Trump’s alleged offenses. The next step is for the House Judiciary Committee to hold public hearings on the information, and they must vote to send it out of committee to the full House for a vote. If the House passes the resolution, it goes to the Senate, which must also vote to impeach. 

Waters believes that the House will vote to pass the resolution and that some members of the Senate, which is currently controlled by Republicans, will also vote to impeach if they are presented with strong facts and information. 

In the event that Trump is impeached, the next person in line to become president is Vice President Mike Pence. Waters assured Blavity: Politics that her plan is to get rid of Pence, as well.

“I do believe he’s aligned with white supremacists and Ku Klux Klan types,” said Waters. “I tell people, ‘Don’t worry. If we get Trump, we’re gonna get Pence also.’”

As far as when a House vote on impeachment might happen, Waters thinks it could happen as soon as December and certainly prior to the election in November 2020. She underscored the urgency of impeaching Trump as soon as possible.

“America cannot continue to suffer under this president and the destruction that he’s doing,” she said.