How Washington representatives voted on Trump impeachment
Jul 19, 2019, 11:30 AM
Congressman Rick Larsen. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
(Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Impeaching President Donald Trump has long been a contentious topic in Congress, and that debate came to a head on Wednesday, when the House of Representatives overwhelming voted to table proceedings. As for the side each of Washington state’s representatives landed on, it was a mixed bag.
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“I do not come to this decision lightly. The decision to impeach is one that transcends party and politics. Exercising the authority to impeach is one of the heaviest responsibilities a Member of Congress has,” Rep. Rick Larsen said in a Thursday news release.
“This president has no concept of this widely and tightly held belief of Americans. His comments do not protect the concept of U.S. citizenship. They undermine it. He should not be the President of the United States,” he added.
In the wake of a series of racist Tweets, and a controversial Trump rally in North Carolina, Larsen’s decision was largely based on “the president’s statement degrading the dream of citizenship.”
He was joined by just one other Washington Congressperson in voting against tabling impeachment, in Rep. Pramila Jayapal.
“From a guy who deliberately put out racist Tweets, we have to call it out,” Jayapal told CNN’s Chris Cuomo on Wednesday.
In an interesting twist, Rep. Adam Smith, who had previously — and vocally — called for Trump’s impeachment, voted in favor of the measure to table proceedings.
As recently as June, Smith had voiced support for moving forward with impeachment.
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“Congressman Smith believes we must move forward with an impeachment inquiry,” Shana Chandler, Smith’s chief of staff told The Seattle Times back in June. “President Trump has continued his efforts to obstruct justice and undermine Congress as a coequal branch of government and proceeding with an impeachment inquiry — the first step in a lengthy and difficult process — is the best way to demand accountability from this administration.”
Joining Smith in voting against impeachment were Kim Schier (D-8), Suzan DelBene (D-1), Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-3), Dan Newhouse (R-4), Cathy McMorris-Rodgers (R-5), Derek Kilmer (D-6), and Denny Heck (D-10).
