Jeff Fortenberry: “In his speech and subsequent hesitation to swiftly react to the violence, the President wrongly amplified an emotionally…”

“In his speech and subsequent hesitation to swiftly react to the violence, the President wrongly amplified an emotionally charged environment--emboldening persons predetermined to do violence, adding to a mob frenzy, and overshadowing the important policy work of four years and those who peacefully stood by him. Our objective should be this: Restore peace in our country. Restore confidence in our government. Restore decency and decorum. In just seven days, Joe Biden will be President. I voted to certify his election. In order to begin the process of healing our nation after this traumatic moment, we must choose wisely. If we use the blunt instrument of impeachment, we will punish the President but deepen the trauma of an America already wracked by political violence. The call for accountability ought now to be found in the hard slog to rebuild. I will vote against impeachment. Miss GONZALEZ-COLON. Madam Speaker, respect for the will of the people, which has been expressed through their votes in a valid democratic process and the peaceful transfer of power between administrations, is the foundation of our Nation. Seeing the President incite groups to interrupt that very democratic process, leading them to take the U.S. Capitol by force, where two members of the Capitol Police died in the line of duty, is deeply outrageous. Using force as the mechanism to achieve change or access to power has no place in the constitutional transfer of office.…”