John Conyers: “Mr. Speaker, Article II, section 4 of the Constitution states that the President shall be removed from office on…”

“Mr. Speaker, Article II, section 4 of the Constitution states that the President shall be removed from office on impeachment for and conviction of treason or bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors. We have heard a lot today and in the past weeks about the rule of law, but that is not the standard for impeachment. We are all sworn to uphold the rule of law, and there is still a remedy in this situation for the President's action under the rule of law: Criminal prosecution. The President lied to us, but this vote is neither about absolution or punishment. The only question we face is whether the President's actions, regardless of how wrong or potentially criminal, rise to the standard our constitutional forefathers set for us. We have been told by the majority of constitutional scholars that the President's actions do not fall within the meaning of high crimes or misdemeanors but yet we persist. We have divided this House with partisan politics, sewing mistrust and exposing the darkness in our own hearts. It started with the first vote of the 105th Congress to censure the Speaker, and it has continued to this day to the vote to impeach the President. With all of the lost opportunities in between, it is no wonder we are losing the public's trust.”