Which Republicans Voted to Impeach Trump? Here Are 10 – The New York Times

As the House voted Wednesday to formally charge President Trump with inciting violence against the government of the United States, exactly one week after the Capitol was breached by an angry mob of Trump loyalists, 10 Republicans cast their votes in favor of impeachment.

It was the largest number of lawmakers to ever vote to impeach a president from their own party; just five Democrats voted to impeach President Bill Clinton, and not a single Republican voted in favor of impeaching Mr. Trump in 2019.

House Republican leaders said they would not formally lobby members of the party against voting to impeach the president this time.

Representative John Katko of New York was the first Republican to publicly announce that he would back impeachment. Not holding the president accountable for his actions would be a direct threat to the future of our democracy, he said.

Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the No. 3 House Republican, said on Tuesday evening that she would vote to impeach, citing the presidents role in an insurrection that caused death and destruction in the most sacred space in our republic.

Representative Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, a frequent critic of Mr. Trump, joined his Republican colleagues on Tuesday evening, saying the nation was in uncharted waters. He said that Mr. Trump encouraged an angry mob to storm the United States Capitol to stop the counting of electoral votes.

Representative Fred Upton of Michigan said he would vote to impeach after Mr. Trump expressed no regrets for what had happened at the Capitol.

Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler of Washington State said, The presidents offenses, in my reading of the Constitution, were impeachable based on the indisputable evidence we already have. (An earlier version of this item incorrectly stated which state Ms. Herrera Beutler represents.)

Representative Dan Newhouse of Washington State announced that he was backing impeachment, attacking his partys core argument, that the process was being rushed. I will not use process as an excuse, he said during the impeachment debate, to cheers and applause from Democrats. Mr. Newhouse also offered a mea culpa, chiding himself and other Republicans for not speaking out sooner against the president.

Representative Peter Meijer of Michigan said that Mr. Trump had betrayed his oath of office by seeking to undermine our constitutional process, and he bears responsibility for inciting the insurrection we suffered last week.

Representative Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio said Vice President Mike Pence and members of the House and Senate had their lives put in grave danger as a result of the presidents actions, adding, When I consider the full scope of events leading up to Jan. 6, including the presidents lack of response as the United States Capitol was under attack, I am compelled to support impeachment.

Representative David Valadao of California complained that the process had been rushed but said: Based on the facts before me, I have to go with my gut and vote my conscience. I voted to impeach President Trump. His inciting rhetoric was un-American, abhorrent and absolutely an impeachable offense. Its time to put country over politics.

Representative Tom Rice of South Carolina criticized Mr. Trumps response to the siege and concluded: I have backed this president through thick and thin for four years. I campaigned for him and voted for him twice. But this utter failure is inexcusable.

Four Republicans did not vote: Representatives Kay Granger of Texas, Andy Harris of Maryland, Greg Murphy of North Carolina and Daniel Webster of Florida.

Nicholas Fandos and Glenn Thrush contributed reporting.

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Which Republicans Voted to Impeach Trump? Here Are 10 - The New York Times