WA Rep. Jayapal: GOP ‘exemplified cowardice’ in impeachment vote
Feb 6, 2020, 8:15 AM
WA Rep. Pramila Jayapal. (Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
With the U.S. Senate voting to acquit President Trump on a pair of impeachment charges, Washington state’s own representatives in Congress weighed in with their own reactions.
Rep. Jayapal: President Trump ‘is the smoking gun’ for impeachment
“Instead of showing courage, all but one Republican senator today exemplified cowardice,” said Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal, representing Washington’s 7th District, and serving on the House Judiciary Committee. “In putting party and politics over country and Constitution, Republicans drove a stake in the heart of our democracy.”
President Trump will be held accountable one way or another—whether through the courts or the ballot box—and the American people and history will not forget the Republicans’ cowardice. #ImpeachedPresident #ImpeachedAndNotExonerated #ImpeachedForLife
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) February 5, 2020
Those sentiments were echoed by fellow Democrat Patty Murray, one of Washington state’s two Senators to vote in favor of removing the President.
“I want every American to know my strong feeling is that we, the people, elect our presidents, they owe their office to the American people, and Americans must be their priority,” said Sen. Murray. “I am grateful to every senator who stood up for this fundamental American principle today.”
Addressing the case made by the House of Representatives, Washington 9th District Representative Adam Smith pointed to a failure in the Senate to adequately check the President’s power.
“The House of Representatives did its job and laid out a clear and strong case for the President’s removal from office,” Rep. Smith said in a news release. “The Senators who voted to acquit sent a message to the President that he is accountable to no one.”
Ross: Trump lawyers accidentally make case for impeachment
Washington state Republican Rep. Dan Newhouse countered that claim, stating that “House Democrats failed to present a compelling case or convince the American people of an impeachment defense.”
“Now that this partisan impeachment process is behind us, we can get back to work, focus on the priorities of our constituents & our country, and hopefully begin to heal this political divide,” Rep. Newhouse added.
Fellow Washington state Republicans Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Jaime Herrera Beutler have yet to comment on the end to impeachment proceedings.
Just one Republican Senator — Utah’s Mitt Romney — broke ranks to vote with Democrats in favor of removing President Trump from office.
