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Arkansas politicians respond to President Trump’s impeachment

12/19/2019
WWLP

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA) — The U.S. House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald Trump in a historic vote on Wednesday.

Arkansas’ four Republican congressmen voted ‘no’ on impeachment along party lines.

U.S. Representative Steve Womack (R-Rogers) took to Twitter on Wednesday to expand on his decision: “I voted NO on both articles of impeachment. This is the first time in history that impeachment was moved forward on an entirely party-line vote. In fact, the only bipartisan support seen was against impeachment. This was a completely partisan process with a partisan result.”

Womack also spoke out against impeachment on the House floor prior to Wednesday’s vote.

Congressman French Hill (R-Little Rock) issued a statement regarding his decision to vote against impeachment:

“…the power of impeachment is a solemn one. This power is vested in the legislative branch to remove the nationally elected leader of our beloved country for treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. This power is not to be used simply as a tool to harass a president of the opposite party.”

“The case for impeachment that House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff has concocted is not overwhelming and not supported by even the selected leaks and one-sided testimony.”

Congressman Rick Crawford (R-Jonesboro) said in a press release after his ‘no’ vote: “The talking points that we have heard all day are the same that have been repeated for months- and they all point to the same conclusions: the President did not abuse his power, and he has been subjected to the most partisan, lopsided impeachment attempt in history.”

U.S. Representative Bruce Westerman (R-Hot Springs) said in a press release:

“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.”

Trump is the third U.S. president in history to face a formal impeachment charge.