Press Releases
Congresswoman Lori Trahan Statement on House Passage of Articles of Impeachment
Washington,
December 18, 2019
WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03) released this statement following her vote in favor of two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump; abuse of power, and obstruction of Congress. Both articles passed the House. “President Trump committed an impeachable act by abusing the power of his office for personal and political gain at the expense of our national security. When he got caught, he engaged in a second impeachable offense by launching a campaign to obstruct legitimate congressional oversight into the matter. Impeachment is not a fight we sought, but one we committed to when we raised our right hand and swore to defend and protect the Constitution of the United States. This is a sad day for our country, but President Trump left us no choice. This moment requires all of us to prioritize the Constitution and our democracy above all else, and history will remember those who sought to set the precedent that this president or any other is above the law,” said Congresswoman Trahan. Prior to the vote, Congresswoman Trahan spoke on the House floor in support of the articles of impeachment. You can read a transcript of her remarks below, and watch and download the clip HERE: “Madame Speaker, Today I rise to defend our democracy. In this Chamber, we debate the nation’s most pressing issues. And often, reasonable people can draw different conclusions. But not today. The facts are black and white. President Trump abused the power of his office for personal and political gain, and then he engaged in a cover-up. It is up to us to confront those facts – and vote to preserve and protect our Democratic republic. This is not a fight I or my colleagues sought out when we ran for Congress. But it is one we pledged when we raised our right hand and swore an oath to defend our Constitution. Anything other than a vote to impeach will be read as a vote endorsing a future president without rules or consequences. An ‘anything goes’ ‘no holds barred’ brand of Executive branch authority that will leave us weaker and surely undermine what the Framers passed down. We owe it to future generations to transcend personal interest and party loyalty and vote our conscious. For what’s really at stake here today, the sanctity of our constitution and the sanctity of our democracy. Thank you and I yield back.”
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