Trump impeachment: Kentucky Congress members explain their votes; how they voted
For the first time in history, a president has been impeached for a second time after the U.S. House of Representatives voted Wednesday.
The move to impeach President Donald Trump comes after a deadly siege at the U.S. Capitol by his loyalists, to which he told to "fight like hell" against the election results.
The impeachment was approved just before 5 p.m. with 231 in favor and 197 against. Of those who were for it were 221 Democrats and 10 Republicans. No Democrats were against it, but 197 Republicans voted nay.
Of Kentucky's six congress members, the commonwealth's sole Democrat voted in favor of impeachment. The state's Republican Reps. James Comer, Brett Guthrie, Thomas Massie, Andy Barr and Hal Rogers all voted against impeachment.
Democrat Congressman John Yarmuth, who represents the 3rd district of the state, and voted in favor of impeaching Trump, had this to say in a written statement:
“Never in American history has a President taken such brazen, lawless, and reckless action against our own nation as Donald Trump undertook last week. And yet, while this dark episode was unprecedented, it was entirely consistent with the behavior he has displayed each day for well over the last four years.
"It is an understatement to say that history will not look kindly on this President. But history will also harshly judge a Congress that failed to stop him and a Republican Party that allowed him to evade the law and believe himself a dictator.
"For four years, this President has disgraced his office, trampled rights, ruined lives, and fueled the flames of bigotry and hate. Six people died as a result of his insurrection last week, many were injured and far more remain traumatized whether they were here at the Capitol that day or watched from afar.
"For the second time, I will vote to impeach the President knowing that it is unlikely he will be removed from office before the end of his term.
"I do so because I, like the President, swore an oath to ‘support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic… and to faithfully discharge the duties of the office,’ but unlike the President, I intend to honor it.
"I do so because, last week, Donald Trump committed the most heinous act ever committed by a U.S. President, and I am one of 535 people charged with holding him accountable.
"I vote to impeach the President because it is the right thing to do. And it’s time for that to mean something again.”
Republican Congressman James Comer, representing Kentucky's 1st district, was among those who voted against the impeachment.
He released this statement: "With a new President taking office one week from today, it’s time for America to unify as a nation and tackle our biggest challenges.
"But today’s furtherance of Nancy Pelosi’s obsession with impeaching the President will only raise tensions higher and divide Americans further. Without a fair and deliberative hearing in Congress, this rushed impeachment is nothing but a political stunt by Nancy Pelosi just seven days before President Trump leaves office.
"In the interest of national unity, House Democrats must set aside their obsession with partisanship and focus on addressing the needs of the American people.”
Republican Congressman Andy Barr, who represents Kentucky's 6th district, called Trump's rhetoric "regrettable and irresponsible," but did not agree that his words were "the legal definition of incitement."
"But beyond the legal analysis of the president's words, given the highly toxic and polarized political climate in which we find ourselves, and recognizing that a mere seven days remain in the term of this president during which there is no conceivable prospect for removal by the Senate, I fail to see how impeachment offers the county a constructive path forward toward reconciliation and healing."
Republican Congressman Brett Guthrie, who represents Kentucky's 2nd district, called the impeachment proceedings "rushed" and without due process.
"Before a House floor vote to charge a president with an impeachable offense, Congress should examine all of the facts and hold hearings in the appropriate committees. Let me be clear: I unequivocally condemn the violent mob storming the Capitol last week and want those responsible to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. In order to fully evaluate the circumstances around the attack on the U.S. Capitol and ensure this will never happen again, I support a bipartisan commission to conduct an investigation and uncover all of the facts. I disagree with the urgency to impeach today without knowing all the facts and carrying out due process.”
We'll add more statements from the other members if we get them.
Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, who has just days left as majority leader, said the decision has been made to halt the Senate process of the impeachment until the first regular meeting following the receipt of the article from the House. In other words, it won't be this week.
In a statement, he said, "even if the Senate process were to begin this week and move promptly, no final verdict would be reached until after President Trump had left office."
Kentucky's Congressmen voted the same way during Trump's first impeachment.