Rubén Hinojosa: “this is a sad day in our Nation's history. I say this because the stage has been set today to impeach our President…”

“this is a sad day in our Nation's history. I say this because the stage has been set today to impeach our President against the will of the American people. This action is partisan, this action is wrong, this action is unconscionable. How can we say this is a political democracy when an overwhelming majority of the American people have clearly stated they want our President to remain in office? How can we say this is a political democracy when an overwhelming majority of the American people have said they want to see us negotiate a compromise? How can we undo the last two presidential elections and say to the American people, your votes do not matter? Are we a democracy or are we not? I do not intend to stand by idly and be a party to what I will again say is quite obviously an unfair process. I was elected to this Congress to represent the people, and that is precisely what I intend to by casting my vote against impeachment. Compromise! Conscience! Censure! That is what must be the order of the day. It is the only fair way the American people can be represented. Formal censure by the entire Congress is the only way to express the disdain of the American people for the President's actions. It is a fitting and constitutionally valid punishment, and one, I should add, that polls show a majority of the public prefers.”