Chip Roy: “I thank the gentleman from Ohio for yielding. The President of the United States deserves universal condemnation for…”

“I thank the gentleman from Ohio for yielding. The President of the United States deserves universal condemnation for what was clearly, in my opinion, impeachable conduct, pressuring the Vice President to violate his oath to the Constitution to count the electors. His open and public pressure, courageously rejected by the Vice President, purposefully seeded the false belief among the President's supporters, including those assembled on January 6, that there was a legal path for the President to stay in power. It was foreseeable and reckless to sow such a false belief that could lead to violence and rioting by loyal supporters whipped into a frenzy. {time} 1445 Unfortunately, my Democratic colleagues drafted an article that I believe is flawed and unsupportable, focusing on the legal terms of incitement and insurrection. Even noting impeachment does not require meeting a certain legal standard--the danger for open speech and debate in this body and for the Republic is high--if the House approves the article as written. The language will be used to target Members of this body under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. It will be used to suggest that any statements we make are subject to review by our colleagues and to send us down a perilous path of cleansing political speech in the public square. Madam Speaker, we must end this. Let us condemn that which must be condemned, and do so loudly.…”