House lawmakers voted to impeach President Trump on Wednesday in only the third such rebuke in American history.
The move triggers a trial for Trump in the Senate, expected in January. It’s expected that Senate Republicans will prevent Trump from being removed from office.
The House vote on Wednesday was 230 to 197 on the first of two articles of impeachment — abuse of power — with one member voting present. The House then passed the second article — obstruction of Congress — with a vote of 229 to 198, with one member voting present, according to NPR.
The vote was largely along party lines. Every Republican opposed impeachment.
Ninth District Georgia Congressman and Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee Doug Collins is one of the president’s staunchest supporters. He led the GOP charge to thwart impeachment during committee hearings. Collins issued a statement shortly after the House impeached Trump.
“Without offering sufficient evidence or alleging actual crimes, Democrats have committed an injustice that extends beyond any one presidency,” Collins said. “Today’s vote reveals their disregard for the Constitutional protections due to all citizens — including President Trump. That disregard threatens the liberties of every American.”
Rep. Collins echoes the president’s claim that Democrats pursued impeachment as political revenge for Hillary Clinton’s stunning 2016 presidential loss. Sidestepping the testimony of witnesses called during the House impeachment proceedings, Collins asserts Democrats “abused their power through this impeachment.”
“Today, House Democrats made a conscious decision to ignore the will and abandon the interests of their fellow Americans,” he said. “[Democrats] intend to overturn the will of the people whenever it conflicts with the will of liberal elites, and that albatross will hang heavy around their necks for generations to come.”
Collins’ comments fall in stark contrast to the somber statements made earlier in the day on the House floor by 5th District Georgia Congressman John Lewis.
The AJC reports Lewis bellowed with regret about the circumstances that led to what he referred to as a “sad day.”
“Today, this day. We didn’t ask for this. This is a sad day. This is not a day of joy,” he roared. “Our nation is founded on the principle that we don’t have kings. We have presidents, and the Constitution is our compasses. When you see something that is not right, not just, not fair, you have a moral obligation to say something, to do something.”
Lewis ended his speech by saying the generations beyond his will ask questions about what decisions were made during this notable time in American history.
“For some, this vote may be hard,” he said. “We have a mission, and we have a mandate to be on the right side of history.”
