SPOKANE, Wash. — Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R – WA 05) was the only representative from the state of Washington to vote against the articles of impeachment brought against President Donald Trump on Wednesday.
All Washington Democratic representatives, along with Republicans Dan Newhouse (R – WA 04) and Jaime Herrera Beutler (R – WA 03), voted to impeach President Trump.
Rodgers released a statement explaining her decision shortly after the vote was held.
"Based on my assessment of Constitutionally-protected speech, I do not believe his words constitute an incitement of violence as laid out in Supreme Court precedent. Further, impeachment is not something for us to take lightly, and the fact that Speaker Pelosi is rushing this process and has chosen not to hold hearings or extend debate on the questions at hand makes me question her motives as nothing more than politics," the statement reads in part.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said he will not for an emergency session to rule on an impeachment trial, all but guaranteeing the impeachment won’t go through before President Trump leaves office, according to the Associated Press.
McMorris Rodgers' statement is replicated in full below:
"I analyzed the Article of Impeachment through the lens that has guided my decision-making throughout my time in Congress: the oath I took to support and defend the Constitution. The Article presented before the House centers around whether President Trump’s words directly incited the violence that took place at the U.S. Capitol last week. Based on my assessment of Constitutionally-protected speech, I do not believe his words constitute an incitement of violence as laid out in Supreme Court precedent. Further, impeachment is not something for us to take lightly, and the fact that Speaker Pelosi is rushing this process and has chosen not to hold hearings or extend debate on the questions at hand makes me question her motives as nothing more than politics. The President has mere days left on his term, he has conceded, and the inauguration is next week. Let’s let the peaceful transfer of power take place.
Make no mistake: what happened last week at the U.S. Capitol was unlawful and unacceptable. President Trump showed a complete lack of leadership in the face of an attack on the U.S. government. We must do better. Right now, I am also concerned that we have a crisis of contempt in America and it’s leading to the destruction and violence we saw last week and throughout the last year. One of my office’s values is to ‘responsibly own it.’ To take accountability and aim to do better. This great experiment in self-governance is dependent on individual responsibility. For too long, people on the left have chosen to try and silence anyone who disagrees with them and have refused to acknowledge President Trump as duly elected. At the same time, people on the right have excused and defended President Trump, including me, because he stood for free markets and economic growth, led the most pro-life administration in history, defended religious freedom, stood for Israel, and supported the rule of law. For Trump supporters like me, it meant turning a blind eye to arrogant, prideful, and bullying behavior. We all need to take some responsibility, tone down the rhetoric, stop silencing anyone and everyone who might disagree with us, and do better."
McMorris Rodgers only Washington congressperson to not publicly support Trump's removal
Washington Representative Dan Newhouse (R – WA 04) has said he will vote to impeach President Donald Trump in light of the armed mob that breached the United State Capitol and led to the deaths of five people last Wednesday.
Newhouse, a Republican, joins a growing list of Washington federal lawmakers who have said they will vote yes on impeachment in the House of Representatives.
"A vote against this impeachment is a vote to validate the unacceptable violence we witnessed in our nation’s capital. It is also a vote to condone President Trump’s inaction. He did not strongly condemn the attack nor did he call in reinforcements when our officers were overwhelmed. Our country needed a leader, and President Trump failed to fulfill his oath of office," Newhouse said in a statement. "I will vote yes on the articles of impeachment.”
In fact, all but one Washington Congressional lawmaker has said they support the impeachment effort or have called for President Trump’s removal for office. That representative is Rodgers.
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives was debating the article of impeachment brought forth against the President.
