On the recordDecember 18, 2019
I include in the Record my remarks supporting the impeachment of President Donald Trump. Madam Speaker, I rise today as a strong believer in the American experiment and the democratic norms that distinguish us from the monarchies that existed at the birth of our nation and from the authoritarian tyrannies that exist today. The facts that were uncovered during the House's impeachment inquiry point to unlawful misconduct by President Trump--misconduct that demands that we, the Congress, hold him to account. The president's egregious abuse of power undermined the integrity of our elections, which are the foundation of our democracy, and threatened our national security. Furthermore, his refusal to cooperate with the House's impeachment inquiry represents an unprecedented level of contempt for the law and violation of our democratic norms. What the president obstructed wasn't trivial, nor was it about concealing private conduct--he obstructed a Congressional investigation of great significance to our national interest and infringed on Congress' ability to carry out our constitutional duty. As a separate and co-equal branch of government we must hold the president accountable for his abuse of power and his violation of the public trust.
