McCollum Says Impeachment Isn’t a ‘Political Decision,’ Not Based on ‘Partisan Affiliation’ 

Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN-04) said she will vote in favor of the articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, but claimed it “is not a political decision based on loyalty or partisan affiliation.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-12) and the chairmen of the impeachment inquiry committees unveiled two articles of impeachment against President Trump during a Tuesday morning press conference—abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

A small group of vulnerable House Democrats floated the idea of censuring President Trump as a safer alternative to pursuing impeaching during a Monday meeting, Politico reported.

“The articles of impeachment announced today by the U.S. House of Representatives fulfill an obligation incumbent upon every Member of Congress to defend the Constitution, protect our national security, and ensure our democracy is not corrupted by a foreign power,” McCollum said in a statement. “For every Member of Congress, holding the President of the United States accountable to the Constitution and protecting our most fundamental democratic values is not a political decision based on loyalty or partisan affiliation. In fact, it is an inherent duty upon which we have sworn a sacred oath.”

The Minnesota Democrat said she intends to “vote in favor of the resolution to impeach President Donald J. Trump for high crimes and misdemeanors.”

“The sole person responsible for precipitating this impeachment process is Donald J. Trump,” she continued. “Mr. Trump’s willful, flagrant, and corrupt misconduct is a betrayal of the public trust.”

McCollum thinks she has the support of the American people, who “understand that as a nation of laws there can be no person, not even the President of the United States, who is above the law.”

“Let these articles of impeachment also serve as a clear and unambiguous message to all future presidents: Congress, as a co-equal branch of government, will never tolerate or appease an abusive, corrupt executive,” she concluded.

Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN-03) said in a Tuesday interview with CNN that he will “absolutely” vote in favor of the articles of impeachment.

“None of us came to Congress to impeach the president,” he said. “I do believe, based on our oath to the Constitution, we have no choice.”

Democratic @RepDeanPhillips says he will vote yes on the two articles of impeachment against President Trump.

“None of us came to Congress to impeach the President … I do believe, based on our oath to the Constitution, we have no choice.” https://t.co/AAKGjwLcMy pic.twitter.com/jTlzshQIL6

— CNN News Central (@NewsCentralCNN) December 10, 2019

Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN-07) was the only Minnesota Democrat—and one of just two Democrats in the nation to vote against formalizing the proceedings—to indicate that he will vote against the articles. Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN-02) hasn’t yet publicly commented on the articles of impeachment.

Like Peterson, Craig represents a district Trump carried in 2016, though by a significantly smaller margin.

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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of Battleground State News, The Ohio Star, and The Minnesota Sun. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].