Newhouse Statement on Articles of Impeachment Vote
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) voted against adoption of both Article I and Article II of H.Res 755, Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors. Article I passed the House by a vote 230-187-1 with 195 Republicans and 2 Democrats voting in opposition, and 1 Democrat voting present. Article II passed the House by a vote of 229-198-1 with 195 Republicans and 3 Democrats voting in opposition, and 1 Democrat voting present.
Rep. Newhouse released the following statement:
"Impeachment is one of the most serious responsibilities afforded to Congress, and that sobering responsibility has not been lost on me," said Rep. Newhouse. "I believe – especially when it comes to charging a President with the articles of impeachment – Members must focus on the facts presented. House Democrats failed to present fact-based evidence of high crimes or misdemeanors committed by President Trump. For this reason, I voted against both articles of impeachment."
Rep. Newhouse continued, "It is a shame that these partisan, politically-motived proceedings set a dangerous precedent of passing articles of impeachment based on hearsay, inference, and political disagreement. While Democrats have worked to reverse the results of the 2016 election, President Trump and Republicans have continued to work on behalf of American families. As the Senate conducts their trial, I will hope they will move swiftly and competently, focusing on the facts instead of politics, and provide fair, transparent proceedings."
Earlier today, Rep. Newhouse delivered remarks on the House floor during debate on the resolution. Read his remarks below:
Mr. Speaker,
The People's House should be better than this. We should be better than this.
During a Member's remarks in the Judiciary Committee's impeachment proceedings, he stated, "To my Republican colleagues: … How do you want to be remembered during this watershed moment in our nation's history?"
Well, Mr. Speaker –
It won't be watching sports on a laptop during official Judiciary Committee proceedings to impeach a sitting President;
It won't be using expletives to refer to our President, calling for his impeachment just hours after being sworn into Congress;
It won't be using the chairmanship of the once-respected Intelligence Committee to distort the President's words in order to mislead the American People;
And certainly, it won't be using the most serious and solemn powers of Congress to overturn a legitimate national election for political expediency.
No, Mr. Speaker, my fellow Republican colleagues and I won't be remembered in history for doing any of those things—because we know this is far too grave a matter for subversions such as these of our democratic republic.
We should all be better than this.