Westerman Statement on Impeachment Vote

WASHINGTON – Today, the United States House of Representatives passed two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump. U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement:

"This is the day Democrats have been planning since the American people duly elected President Trump. Over the past few months, the Judiciary and Intelligence Committees have neglected legislative work and instead spent taxpayer dollars handpicking witnesses and hearing secondhand testimony. Adam Schiff's closed-door hearings allowed him to selectively leak information that fit his narrative. Judiciary Committee's only witnesses were law school professors and congressional staff. Democrats' original claims of bribery didn't even make it into the final articles of impeachment.

"Over and over, House Democrats have proved this is a sham process. It's been an ever-changing narrative, dictated by primetime ratings and whatever happened to be polling well that day. For these and many other reasons, I voted against the articles of impeachment. This is one of the most serious and divisive tools Congress can use, and every other presidential impeachment had bipartisan support throughout. In this case, the only bipartisan votes have been cast against impeachment proceedings.

"Alexander Hamilton said it best in 1788, when writing Federalist No. 65: ‘In many cases it [impeachment] will connect itself with the pre-existing factions, and will enlist all their animosities, partialities, influence, and interest on one side or on the other; and in such cases there will always be the greatest danger that the decision will be regulated more by the comparative strength of parties, than by the real demonstrations of innocence or guilt.' We should all be concerned about the damage these antics do to our Republic.

"I hope now that this vote is behind us Congress can focus on working for the people, and take up initiatives like fixing our health care, reforming forest management and lowering prescription drug costs."