CLEVELAND (WJW) — All eyes were on the U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday as they voted to impeach President Donald Trump for “incitement of insurrection.”
Some House members from Northeast Ohio were among the majority to vote in favor of the charge, including Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D).
“To impeach a President is a weighty decision. Today, the decision was clear. President Trump is guilty of inciting a violent insurrection against the United States in its most sacred home of liberty. He should thus be immediately removed from office and prevented from ever holding federal office again,” her statement read in part.
Congressman Bob Latta (R) issued a statement citing the constitution as his reason for not supporting the impeachment. He also noted that Trump only has seven days left in his term.
“We are better as a nation when we work together and engage in respectful civil discourse with one another. If a motion of censure had come to the floor, I would have strongly considered it to ensure accountability for the horrific events of last week. A snap impeachment process is not consistent with the Constitution and has never been done before in American history. For these reasons, I cannot support this impeachment effort,” he said.
Congressman Mike Turner (R) shared a similar view saying the vote was rushed.
“Last week’s assault on the Capitol, the Constitution, and our democracy was reprehensible. A violent mob rioted and stormed the Capitol in a futile attempt to overturn the results of a free and fair election. They failed. In less than a week, President Trump is leaving office disgraced and discredited for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. However, Speaker Pelosi’s snap impeachment is absent due process, hearings, witnesses and violates our responsibilities under the Constitution. For these reasons, I could not support it,” he said in a statement.
Fellow Republican Congressman Anthony Gonzalez crossed party lines to vote in favor of the impeachment. He was one of several GOP House members to do so.
“The President of the United States helped organized and incite a mob that attacked the United States Congress in an attempt to prevent us from completing our solemn duties as prescribed by the Constitution. In doing so, five people have died– including a Capitol Police Officer– and many more have been injured, and our democracy has been shaken,” Gonzalez said in a statement.
Congressman Dave Joyce voted against the impeachment. In a statement issued after the vote, he said there isn’t enough time to investigate and also questioned the motives of his fellow lawmakers.
“I call upon my colleagues, Republicans and Democrats, to be better. What does it say about the motivations of Congress that it took us eight months to provide additional relief for those struggling with the ongoing pandemic, but only a week to impeach the President?”
Ohio House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D) said Trump needs to be removed immediately.
“The world watched in horror as domestic terrorists supporting the current President of the United States violently attacked the U. S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn the election and overthrow our government. These acts of sedition were committed at the direction of the president—a clear and disturbing violation of his constitutional oath and the rule of law. For the second time this country has had to face the fact that not even the president is above the law. I support the impeachment proceedings, and urge swift action in the Senate to hold the president accountable for his actions and remove him from office to prevent him from causing further damage to our country,” she said in a statement.
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