TIMELINE TO THE HOUSE VOTE
  • Sept. 24 - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announces impeachment inquiry. 
  • Oct. - House Intelligence Committee takes closed door testimony. +
  • Nov. 13-21 - House Intelligence Committee holds public hearings.
  • Dec. 3 - House Intelligence Committee issues "The Trump-Ukraine Impeachment Inquiry Report."
  • Dec. 11-12 - House Judiciary Committee marks up H.Res. 755, articles of impeachment.
  • Dec. 16 - House Judiciary Committee issues report making the case for the two articles of impeachment.

House Votes to Impeach President Trump

Dec. 18, 2019 - After six hours of general debate, the House approved two articles of impeachment, sending the matter to the Senate for trial.  The votes were 230-197-1 on abuse of power and 229-198-1 on obstruction of Congress.

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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi

Pelosi Floor Speech in Support of Articles of Impeachment Against the President of the United States

Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi delivered remarks on the Floor of the House of Representatives in support of two articles of impeachment against the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump.  Below are the Speaker’s remarks:

Speaker Pelosi.  Thank you, Madam Speaker.  I thank the gentleman for yielding, for his tremendous leadership in helping us honor the Constitution of the United States.  I also extend my gratitude to Chairman Schiff, who will be presiding later in the day.

My colleagues, every morning when we come together, Members rise and pledge allegiance to the flag.

Every day, all across America, children in schools, members of the military, officials and those civically engaged also pledge allegiance to the flag.

Let us recall what that pledge says: ‘I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic’ – to the Republic – ‘for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.’
‘The Republic for which it stands’ is what we are here to talk about today: ‘a Republic, if we can keep it.’

We gather today, under the dome of this temple of democracy, to exercise one of the most solemn powers that this body can take: the impeachment of the President of the United States.

No Member – regardless of party or politics – comes to Congress to impeach a President.  But every one of us, as our first act as a Member of Congress, stood on this historic House Floor, before our beautiful American flag, and raised our hands in this sacred oath: ‘I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic… So help me God.’

For 230 years, Members have taken that sacred oath, which makes us Custodians of the Constitution. 

When our Founders declared independence and established a new nation, they crafted a system of government unlike one ever seen before: a Republic, starting with sacred words ‘We The People.’

For centuries, Americans have fought – and died – to defend democracy For The People.

But, very sadly, now, our Founders’ vision of our Republic is under threat from actions from the White House.

That is why, today, as Speaker of the House, I solemnly and sadly open the debate on the impeachment of the President of the United States.

If we do not act now, we would be derelict in our duty.  It is tragic that the President’s reckless actions make impeachment necessary. 

He gave us no choice.

What we are discussing today is the established fact that the President violated the Constitution. 

It is a matter of fact that the President is an ongoing threat to our national security and the integrity of our elections: the basis of our democracy.

Hundreds of historians, legal scholars and former prosecutors – regardless of party – have stated that the President committed impeachable offenses.

Since today is a national civics lesson, though a sad one, I submit these documents for the record and commend them to our students to study.

Speaker Pro Tempore.  Without objection, so ordered.

Speaker Pelosi.  Thank you, Madam Speaker. 

What we are discussing today is established fact that the President, again, violated the Constitution.  It is a matter of fact that the President is, again, an ongoing threat to our national security, and the testimony of decorated war heroes, distinguished diplomats and patriotic career public servants, some of the President’s own appointees, over the past weeks, have told us this.

The President used the power of his public office to obtain an improper personal, political benefit at the expense of America's national security.

When the President weakens a democratic ally that is advancing American security interests by fighting an American adversary, the President weakens America.
 
This abuse of power also jeopardizes the integrity of our elections.  All Americans agree that American voters should choose our President, not some foreign government.

The Founders understood that it is profoundly corrosive for our democracy for a president to invite interference in our elections.

As George Washington, our nation's patriarch, under whose gaze we stand today, warned, ‘History and experience proves that foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of republican government.’  George Washington.

Sadly, the American people have witnessed further wrongs of the President, which necessitate the second article of impeachment: obstruction of congress. 

When the President's wrongdoing was revealed, he launched an unprecedented, indiscriminate and categorical campaign of defiance and obstruction.  Never before in the history of our nation have we seen a president declare and act as if he's above the law.

The President goes even so far as to say and act on this absurdity when he says, ‘Article II says I can do whatever I want.’  No, it doesn't.

That recklessness is a profound violation of the Constitution and our republic, which endure because of our system of separation of powers, three co-equal branches, each a check and balance on the other: ‘a Republic’ – again – ‘if we can keep it.’

The Founders' great fear of a rogue or corrupt president is the very reason why they enshrined impeachment in the Constitution.

As one founder, William Davie of North Carolina, warned, unless the Constitution contained an impeachment provision, a president might ‘Spare no efforts or means, whatever, to get himself re-elected.’  Another founder, George Mason, insisted that the president who ‘procured his appointment in the first instance’ through improper and corrupt acts might ‘repeat his guilt’ and return to power.

We in Congress, Article I, the Legislative Branch, must stand up and make clear to the American people, and to all people, that this body still stands by the principles enshrined in the Constitution and defended by generations of Americans.

Last week, in observance of the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, Members traveled to that hallowed ground to express our gratitude to the heroes of freedom, who sacrificed everything to secure victory of freedom over tyranny – not just for America, but for the world.

The veterans of that Battle, who were there in their 90s, told us how, after the war was won, the Europeans whom they liberated would ask, ‘Why did you risk for us?  You don’t know us.  And give your lives to save us?  We’re not Americans.’

And our men would say, ‘We came here to fight for you, not because you are Americans, but because we are Americans.’

As our beloved Chairman, Elijah Cummings, and Oversight Committee Chair, our North Star, said when announcing support for this action, ‘When the history books are written about this tumultuous era, I want them to show that I was among those in the House of Representatives who stood up to lawlessness and tyranny.’ 

He also said, almost prophetically, ‘When we are dancing with the angels, the question will be, did we – what did we do to make sure we kept our democracy intact?’  Elijah, as you know, has since passed on.  Now, he's dancing with the angels. 

And I know that he and all of us here are very proud of the moral courage of Members – want to honor the vision of our Founders for a republic, the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform to defend it and the aspirations of our children to live freely within it.

Today, we are here to defend democracy for the people. 

May God bless America.

I yield back the balance of my time.


House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy

Leader McCarthy Floor Speech on Impeachment

Remarks as prepared for delivery below.
“Madame Speaker — I am about to say something my Democrat colleagues hate to hear.

“Donald J. Trump is President of the United States. He is President today. He will be President tomorrow. And he will be President when this impeachment is over. When they accept that, maybe this House can get back to work for the American people. 

“Tonight I rise not as the leader of the opposition of this impeachment, or even an elected representative from California’s Central Valley. I rise as Kevin McCarthy, citizen. No better, or worse, than the 435 representatives sitting in this chamber, or the 330 million Americans watching this institution make what I believe will be one of the worst decisions we have ever made.

“It doesn’t matter whether you are Democrat or Republican. Liberal or conservative. First generation, or 10th. At our core, we are all American. All of us. We choose our future. We choose what kind of nation we want to be.

“Here is our choice tonight:

“Will we let impeachment become an exercise of raw political power, regardless if it damages our country? Or will we protect the proper grounds and process for impeachment now and in the future?

“For months, Democrats and many in the media have attempted to normalize the impeachment process that would remove a duly elected President from office. After 3 years of breathless and baseless outrage, this is their last attempt to stop the Trump presidency. Speaker Pelosi even recently admitted that Democrats had been working on this impeachment for ‘two and a half’ years. Those were her words, not mine.

“Because they lost to him in 2016, they’ll do anything to stop him in 2020.

“That’s not America. That’s not how democratic republics behave. Elections matter. Voters matter. And in eleven months the people’s voice will be heard again.

“Impeachment is the most consequential decision Congress can make other than sending our men and women into war. Yet 85 days ago Speaker Pelosi chose to impeach the President of the United States. She wrote the script and created an artificial timeline to make the details fit. Why else are we doing this hours before Christmas?

“If that’s all this was — a rush to judgment — she could be forgiven. But, before the Speaker saw one word, one shred of evidence, she moved to impeach.

“In the past, such a step demanded a vote — from all of us — from the start. But not only did she move to impeach before she gave this House — and the hundreds of millions of people we represent — a say in whether to pursue an impeachment inquiry, she threw out the bipartisan standards and institutional precedents this House gave Presidents Nixon and Clinton.

“That is why I immediately sent Speaker Pelosi a letter asking her to follow the rules of history, of tradition, and follow those standards that had served America well.

“She rejected it.

“She rejected it because Democrats knew a fair process would crumble their case.

“A fair process would have exposed to the American public what many already knew: Democrats have wanted to impeach President Trump since the day he was elected…and nothing was going to get in their way — certainly not the truth.

    • Chairman Schiff said he had evidence — more than circumstantial — of collusion. That was false.
    • In January, mere hours after being sworn-in, Rep. Rashida Tlaib said ‘We’re going to impeach the motherf’er.’
    • A year before taking the majority, Chairman Nadler campaigned to fellow Democrats that he should lead the Judiciary Committee because he is the ‘strongest member to lead a potential impeachment.’
    • And Rep. Jamie Raskin, a leading Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, told the crowd he would impeach President Trump — two days before President Trump was even sworn in.
“What we’ve seen is a rigged process that has led to the most partisan and least credible impeachment in American history. That is your legacy. Any prosecutor in the country would be disbarred for such blatant bias, especially if he was a fact witness, judge, and jury. But Democrats haven’t just failed on process. They’ve also failed on evidence.

“I’ve heard a lot of debate on the floor today. But I haven’t heard one Member dispute this simple fact: President Trump provided lethal aid to Ukraine. It came before the call, after the call, and continues to this day. President Trump provided Ukraine tank-busting bombs. The previous administration gave them blankets.

“This is the truth. Meanwhile, the Democrat case is based on second-hand opinions and hearsay. Simply put: they have no grounds for impeachment.

“As constitutional scholar Jonathan Turley, a Democrat who did not vote for the President, said under oath: ‘there was no bribery, no extortion, no obstruction of justice, and no abuse of power.’

“Based on the facts…based on the truth…based on the lack of evidence, Turley called this the fastest, thinnest, and weakest impeachment in US history.

“Such a definitive answer should be the end of it.

“But Speaker Pelosi is still moving forward with this impeachment, without evidence or facts or truth or public support. The Speaker says it is out of ‘allegiance to our Founders.’ On this, I agree with the Speaker — we should listen to the Founders. And if one does, it is clear that this impeachment is unfounded and improper.

“In the Federalist Papers, Alexander Hamilton wrote: there would always be the ‘greatest danger’ that impeachment would be driven by partisan ‘animosities’ instead of ‘real demonstrations of innocence or guilt.’ James Madison, another author of the Federalist Papers, wrote: the danger of legislative abuse ‘must lead to the same tyranny as is threatened’ by executive abuse. The Founders did not want impeachment to be used for political and partisan battles.

“If my colleagues do not want to follow the Constitution’s high standards for undoing a national election, perhaps they could have followed Speaker Pelosi’s standard — at least, the one she promised to follow back in March.

“It is a very sensible standard. She says: ‘impeachment is so divisive’ that the evidence must be ‘overwhelming,’ ‘compelling,’ and ‘bipartisan.’ Not one of those criteria has been met today. Based on the facts…based on the evidence…based on the truth…this impeachment even fails that Pelosi Test.

“Those who say removing President Trump would protect the integrity of our democracy have it backwards. By removing a duly-elected President on empty articles of impeachment, Congress would erode public trust in our system of government.

“We know Democrats hate President Trump, his beliefs, the way he governs, and even the people who voted for him. They say so, day after day. In 2016, they dismissed his supporters, calling us ‘deplorables.’ Now, they are trying to disqualify our voice before the 2020 election.

“They want to undo the results of the last election to influence the next one.

“As I said — President Trump will still be President when this is all over. But Congress will have wasted months of time and taxpayer dollars on impeachment rather than doing what the American people want us to do.

“It didn’t have to be this way. Is this why we came here to serve? To trample on due process rights? To issue more subpoenas than laws? To appease the new Democrat-socialist base?

“That isn’t leadership. It’s raw partisan politics. And you know it.

“By refusing to acknowledge the truth or follow the facts — by substituting partisan ‘animosities’ for ‘real demonstrations of innocence or guilt’ — and by continuing the three-year effort to undermine the President, this impeachment has divided this nation without any concern for the repercussions.

“Moreover, politicizing this process has discredited the United States House of Representatives and could forever weaken the remedy of impeachment.

“To again quote Professor Turley, it is the Democrats’ rush to impeachment on these grounds, with unfair procedures, that is an ‘abuse of power.’

“Madame Speaker — as I said at the beginning, we face a choice: Do you trust the wisdom of the people or do you deny them a say in their government?

“Fortunately, the people will have the opportunity to speak up and render their verdict in 11 short months. To my fellow Americans — If you approve of the way this House has conducted its business — if you want to see your tax dollars go towards endless investigations — support impeachment.

“But if you want to restore a working Congress — like the previous Congress that listened to you and worked to bring the best economy this country has ever seen and will once again work with the President to get things done for you and your family — then join Republicans in rejecting this baseless impeachment. That’s what’s wonderful about this system of ours: we are a government of, by, and for the people.

“Always remember, we work for you, not the other way around.

“I say this stronger and with more conviction than I have ever said it before. In this time of great trial and tribulation, may … God … bless … America.”


REACTIONS

The White House

Statement from the Press Secretary

Today marks the culmination in the House of one of the most shameful political episodes in the history of our Nation.  Without receiving a single Republican vote, and without providing any proof of wrongdoing, Democrats pushed illegitimate articles of impeachment against the President through the House of Representatives.  Democrats have chosen to proceed on this partisan basis in spite of the fact that the President did absolutely nothing wrong.  Indeed, weeks of hearings have proved that he did nothing wrong.

Throughout the House Democrats’ entire sham impeachment, the President was denied fundamental fairness and due process under the law.  The House blatantly ignored precedent and conducted the inquiry in secrecy behind closed doors so that Chairman Adam Schiff and his partisan political cronies could selectively leak information to their partners in the media to push a false narrative.

When public hearings were held before Chairman Schiff’s committee, Democrats continued their games and denied the President the ability to cross-examine witnesses or present witnesses or evidence.  The proceedings in the Judiciary Committee included no fact witnesses at all and consisted solely of a biased law seminar and a staffer rehashing the slanted report that was produced by Chairman Schiff’s rigged proceeding.  This unconstitutional travesty resulted in two baseless articles of impeachment that lack any support in evidence and fail even to describe any impeachable offense.

All of these antics make clear that Democrats have lost sight of what this country needs, which is a Congress that works for the people.  Their boundless animus for President Trump fuels their desire to nullify the 2016 election results, and improperly influence the 2020 election.

The American people are not fooled by this disgraceful behavior.  They understand fairness, due process, and substantial, reliable evidence are required before any American should be charged with wrongdoing—and certainly before impeaching a duly elected President.

The President is confident the Senate will restore regular order, fairness, and due process, all of which were ignored in the House proceedings.  He is prepared for the next steps and confident that he will be fully exonerated.  President Trump will continue to work tirelessly to address the needs and priorities of the American people, as he has since the day he took office.

Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.

Trump Campaign Statement on Democrats' Sham Impeachment Vote

 
“The contrast between President Trump and the Democrats couldn’t be more clear. While the President rallied with tens of thousands of citizens in Michigan and celebrated the greatness and success of America, Democrats in D.C. completed their cold, calculated, and concocted 3-year impeachment sham and voted against 63 million Americans. And the only part of the vote that was bipartisan was in opposition. The President is just getting stronger while support for the Democrats’ political theater has faded. Undeterred, President Trump keeps racking up victories for the American people, who will respond by resoundingly re-electing him next November.”

- Brad Parscale, Trump 2020 campaign manager


Republican National Committee

RNC Statement on Impeachment Vote 
 
WASHINGTON — Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel released the following statement on today's impeachment vote:

"History was made today, but not in a way Democrats had hoped. With this vote, Nancy Pelosi and her fellow impeachment crusaders have ensured the reelection of President Trump and a return of a Republican majority in the House," said Chairwoman McDaniel. "The American people have turned on this partisan sham and see Democrats in Congress for what they truly are: politicians whose sole focus is to overturn the result of the 2016 election, not on the real issues they promised to address. In 2020, voters will re-elect President Trump and choose candidates who will truly work on their behalf instead of obsessing over destroying a duly-elected President."
 
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RNC ad run on Drudge Report on Dec. 18, 2019

Democratic National Committee

DNC on House Vote to Impeach the President

DNC Chair Tom Perez released the following statement after the House voted to impeach the President of the United States:

“This is a solemn day for our democracy. House Democrats ran for office not to impeach a president, but to improve people’s lives and fulfill their oath to defend the Constitution. The president violated his oath, and in the face of his abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, the House had a responsibility to hold him accountable. 

“Republicans in Congress were given the same choice: to protect the Constitution and serve American voters, or to defend this president’s lies and corruption. They chose the latter, and the American people will not forget their betrayal. They will make their voices heard at the ballot box. And when the history of this day is written, those who voted for impeachment will be remembered for their courage and commitment to protecting our democracy.”

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet

Bennet Statement on House Vote to Impeach President Trump

Washington, D.C. – Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald Trump:

“This is a solemn day for America. There is clear evidence that President Trump abused his office and obstructed Congress. This has left the House of Representatives no choice but to pursue an impeachment inquiry and vote to impeach the President. Congress has few responsibilities more important than defending our constitutional order. Today, the House fulfilled that responsibility. 

“As the Senate begins an impeachment trial, it is critical that each of us fully assesses the evidence and any witnesses presented. The rule of law is a fundamental tenet of American democracy. Its enforcement requires elected leaders to set aside partisanship for principle. We must reaffirm our commitment to the rule of law by upholding our constitutional checks and balances.”


Mike Bloomberg 2020

Statement of Michael R. Bloomberg on the Impeachment of President Trump

"The House did its duty under the Constitution. Unfortunately, it increasingly appears that Senate Republicans will not. The issue won't be settled until November, by the American people. If Donald Trump wins re-election, he will make extorting a foreign head of state for campaign purposes look like child's play. 2020 is not just an election. It's a referendum on whether to save our Constitution - or let Trump light it on fire. That's why it's so important we nominate the candidate who gives us the best chance to defeat Trump and bring our country back together."


U.S. Sen. Cory Booker

Booker Statement on House of Representatives Vote to Impeach Trump

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) issued the below statement following the U.S. House of Representatives vote to impeach President Donald J. Trump for Abuse of Power and Obstruction of Congress:

“Today is a sad and sobering moment for the country. Three months ago, the House of Representatives embarked on a solemn path to gather the facts, uncover the truth, and uphold the rule of law — and what has been revealed is disturbing. We have been presented with alarming evidence that an American president abused the powers of his office for personal gain, compromised U.S. national security interests, and indiscriminately defied and obstructed the investigation into his misconduct.

“This is not a moment for celebration or glee but one that must be treated with the seriousness and gravity that this difficult chapter in American history demands. When I entered the U.S. Senate in 2013, I swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution, and I’ll uphold that sacred oath as this process moves to the Senate for a trial. That trial should have no more important objective than a fair and thorough review of the evidence — and that means we must hear directly from the relevant witnesses and see the relevant documents. Trials are about following the evidence where it leads, and this trial must be no different.”


Julián for the Future

Secretary Castro Issues Statement on House Impeachment Vote

SAN ANTONIO, TX (December 18, 2019) – Following the House vote to impeach Donald Trump, presidential candidate, former Obama Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Mayor of San Antonio, Texas, Julián Castro reacted with the following statement:

“Mitch McConnell has already said he’s “not an impartial juror” and is in cahoots with the White House. He should recuse himself, and the Senate should do its constitutional duty. Remove Donald Trump from office.”

Earlier in the day, Secretary Castro tweeted about the vote, "Today Congress must put patriotism over politics, hold this president accountable for his actions, and send a message that no one is above the law. The evidence is clear. Donald Trump violated his oath of office and abused his power. Impeach him."

The House vote came on the first article of impeachment, abuse of power and a second article of impeachment, obstruction of Congress. Secretary Castro was the second candidate to deliver a reaction, via Twitter, following Senator Bernie Sanders.


Tulsi Now

Tulsi Gabbard Releases Statement on Impeachment of President Trump

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D, Hawaii) released the following statement today on her vote regarding the impeachment of President Trump:

Throughout my life, whether through serving in the military or in Congress, I’ve always worked to do what is in the best interests of our country. Not what’s best for me politically or what’s best for my political party. I have always put our country first. One may not always agree with my decision, but everyone should know that I will always do what I believe to be right for the country that I love.

After doing my due diligence in reviewing the 658-page impeachment report, I came to the conclusion that I could not in good conscience vote either yes or no.

I am standing in the center and have decided to vote Present. I could not in good conscience vote against impeachment because I believe President Trump is guilty of wrongdoing.

I also could not in good conscience vote for impeachment because removal of a sitting President must not be the culmination of a partisan process, fueled by tribal animosities that have so gravely divided our country. When I cast my vote in support of the impeachment inquiry nearly three months ago, I said that in order to maintain the integrity of this solemn undertaking, it must not be a partisan endeavor. Tragically, that’s what it has been.

On the one side — The president’s defenders insist that he has done nothing wrong. They agree with the absurd proclamation that his conduct was “perfect.” They have abdicated their responsibility to exercise legitimate oversight, and instead blindly do the bidding of their party’s leader.

On the other side — The president’s opponents insist that if we do not impeach, our country will collapse into dictatorship. All but explicitly, they accuse him of treason. Such extreme rhetoric was never conducive to an impartial fact-finding process.

The Founders of our country made clear their concerns about impeachment being a purely partisan exercise. In the Federalist Papers, Alexander Hamilton warned against any impeachment that would merely “connect itself with the pre-existing factions,” and “enlist all their animosities, partialities, influence, and interest on one side or on the other.” In such cases, he said, “there will always be the greatest danger that the decision will be regulated more by the comparative strength of parties, than by the real demonstrations of innocence or guilt.”

Donald Trump has violated public trust. Congress must be unequivocal in denouncing the president’s misconduct and stand up for the American people and our democracy. To this end, I have introduced a censure resolution that will send a strong message to this president and future presidents that their abuses of power will not go unchecked, while leaving the question of removing Trump from office to the voters to decide.

I am confident that the American people will decide to deliver a resounding rebuke of President Trump’s innumerable improprieties and abuses. And they will express that judgment at the ballot box. That is the way real and lasting change has always occurred in this great country: through the forcefully expressed will of the people.

A house divided cannot stand. And today we are divided. Fragmentation and polarity are ripping our country apart. This breaks my heart, and breaks the hearts of all patriotic Americans, whether we are Democrats, Republicans, or Independents.

So today, I come before you to make a stand for the center, to appeal to all of you to bridge our differences and stand up for the American people.

My vote today is a vote for much needed reconciliation and hope that together we can heal our country. Let’s work side-by-side, seeking common ground, to usher in a bright future for the American people, our country, and our nation.


U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders

Sanders Statement on House Vote for Impeachment



Tom Steyer 2020

Tom Steyer Statement on House Impeachment Vote

(SAN FRANCISCO, December 18, 2019) — Today, candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination Tom Steyer released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump:

“Today, the House of Representatives took the monumental and solemn step of impeaching the president of the United States. This historic vote was a giant leap toward preserving our democracy. No one is allowed to break their oath of office and put themselves ahead of the American people the way Donald Trump has.

I started a grassroots movement, more than two years ago, dedicated to holding Donald Trump accountable. Now, the 8.4 million Americans that signed our petition have had their voices heard. They knew this was a matter of principle, not politics. They knew America cannot have a president that uses the power of his office to advantage himself and obstruct justice. When our elected officials and institutions work to protect our democracy rather than to protect a lawless president, the American people win.”


Marianne Williamson for President

Statement of Democratic Presidential Candidate Marianne Williamson on the Impeachment of President Donald J. Trump

Des Moines – If I were a member of the U.S. House of Representatives yesterday, would I have voted to impeach the president? Yes. But I would not have done so with any sense that that’s going to solve the deeper problem. The president has not created the rot among us, so much as he has exposed it.

He was the inevitable consequence of our failure to uphold the moral values without which American democracy cannot thrive. He is a symptom, he is not the cause of all this dysfunction. He is mirroring to us a very ugly face of America, but unfortunately, that face was already there. It was underground and now it’s above ground. If all we do is impeach the president, then the problem simply goes underground again.

We must commit ourselves to the transformation of our country through a moral, democratic, and humanitarian regeneration. Nothing less than that will solve the problem, because behind Trump there are many more troops in the political army he now leads.


American Bridge PAC

American Bridge Statement on the Impeachment of Donald Trump

American Bridge Vice-President Shripal Shah released the following statement regarding the House voting to impeach President Donald Trump on articles of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress:  

“After thorough investigations, dozens of hours of testimony, and extensive debate, Donald Trump’s corruption and criminality couldn’t be more apparent. More than any other in history, this president needed to be impeached, and the House has rightly performed its constitutionally-required duty by voting to do so and hold him to account for his actions.

“Every Republican in the Capitol should consider themselves on notice. History, nevermind the 2020 electorate, will not look kindly upon those who turned a blind eye to the rampant corruption, self-dealing, and obstruction that has come to define this president’s tenure in the White House.”



National Constitution Center
https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/interpretation/article-ii/clauses/349

from Article I, Section 2
The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers;and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.

from Article I, Section 3
The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.
Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.

Article II, Section 4
The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.