WASHINGTON, D.C. — The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved two articles of impeachment against President Donald J. Trump charging the president with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
President Trump is the third president in the nation’s history to be impeached. Presidents Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton were both impeached by the House but later acquitted by the Senate. President Richard M. Nixon resigned before the full House could vote to impeach him.
Below are some of the statements issued following the vote:
Governor Bill Weld released the following statement regarding the impeachment of Donald Trump by the U.S. House of Representatives:
“Impeachment is a solemn and, in the case of Donald J. Trump, sadly necessary step. When the Founders agonized, debated and ultimately adopted the Impeachment Clause, it is doubtful they envisioned a President who would authorize a burglary and cover it up, or a President’s inappropriate personal behavior. However, they very clearly envisioned and gravely feared the possibility that a corrupt President might use the awesome power of the presidency for his or her personal gain. With striking foresight, they precisely anticipated that a President might enlist and coerce a foreign government to aid in that abuse.
“The facts are not in dispute. Our president has arrogantly boasted of his abuses. Not only has Donald Trump committed the very acts the Founders and the Constitution foresaw, but he has made clear, through his words and deeds, that he fully intends to do more of the same.
“He has also defied the right and duty of the legislative branch of our government to exercise its rights and discharge their duties clearly assigned to it under our Constitution.
“Unchecked, Donald Trump will continue to make a mockery of the rule of law which is the foundation of our democratic institutions, and for which our Revolution was fought.
“This is not about the 2020 election. It is about the United States Congress performing its constitutional duty to enforce the limits on Executive power and state, right now and right here, that the President is not the monarch Donald Trump wishes to be.
“This is not the time to bend our necks to the yoke, or we shall betray our history and forfeit a free future.
“The House has acted. It is now up to the Senate, and particularly the Republicans in the Senate, to put partisan interests aside and affirm for generations to come that flagrant abuse of power and disregard for our democratic institutions will not be allowed to stand.”
Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) released the following statement after voting on the Articles of Impeachment:
“Today, guided by facts, the Constitution, and my conscience, I cast two votes to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and uphold our system of checks and balances. This is a solemn and serious day for our country that the President of the United States has brought this upon us. I cannot and will not stand idly by when a President compromises the rule of law and our national security for his own personal political benefit. To do so would be to violate by oath of office I swore before my colleagues and the residents of New Hampshire.
The President has abused the powers of the highest office in the land and obstructed Congress when it sought to put facts on the table for the American people and hold him accountable. Our nation’s founders created a government with shared powers and co-equal branches of government. They gave us the presidency—not a monarchy. They created a system where no one is above the law, even the President of the United States. It is clear that Constitutional lines have been crossed, and to vote against these articles would dishonor the wisdom of our founders and undermine the institutions of our democracy.
The people of New Hampshire sent me to Congress to change how Washington works and to make a difference in the lives of families across the district that I’ve called home my entire life. And I will continue to work in a bipartisan fashion to lower the cost of prescription drugs, rebuild our nation’s infrastructure, protect our drinking water, and ensure that veterans get the care and services they have earned. We have more work to do, and I committed to bringing people together around solutions.”
Senator Maggie Hassan released the following statement following House passage of the articles of impeachment:
“This is a somber day for America. At the start of a Senate trial, all Senators take an oath to be impartial jurors, and I will push for a fair and thorough process to evaluate the facts before reaching a decision. The key issue that I will evaluate during the trial is whether the President abused the power of his office for his personal and political benefit, as opposed to acting in the best interests of the American people and our national security.
“It is also vital that as this process play out, members of both parties continue working together on the issues that are important to Granite Staters and Americans, such as bringing down health care costs, combating the opioid epidemic, expanding economic opportunity, and strengthening our national security.”
