Tonight, Donald John Trump became the third President of the United States to be impeached. The two other members of this exclusive club are Andrew Johnson (1868), and William Clinton (1998). It’s been a long day filled with plenty of speeches, some inspiring, others less so. Here are the ten I found most memorable. I’ll let you separate the wheat from the chaff.
But, very sadly, now, our Founders vision of our Republic is under threat from actions from the White House. That is why, today, as Speaker of the House, I solemnly and sadly open the debate on the impeachment of the United States. If we do not act now, we would be derelict in our duty. It is tragic that the President’s reckless actions make impeachment necessary. He gave us no choice.
Nancy Pelosi, House Speaker
When Jesus was falsely accused, during that sham trial, Pontius Pilate afforded more rights to Jesus than the Democrats have afforded this president in this process.
Representative Barry Loudermilk, R-Georgia
When the history of this time is written, it will record that when my colleagues found that they lacked the courage to stand up to this unethical president, they consoled themselves by attacking those who did.
Adam Schiff, Intelligence Committee Chairman
On December 7, 1941, a horrific act happened in the United States, and it’s one that President Roosevelt said, this is a day that will live in infamy. Today, December 18, 2019, is another date that will live in infamy.
Representative Mike Kelly, R-Pennsylvania
Make no mistake, we are not impeaching this president. He is impeaching himself. If you are the president, and you obstruct justice, try to bribe a foreign leader and threaten national security, you’re going to get impeached. End of story.
Representative Susan Davis, D-California
When you see something that is not right, not just, not fair, you have a moral obligation to say something, to do something. Our children and their children will ask us what did you do? What did you say? For some, this vote may be hard. But we have a mission and a mandate to be on the right side of history.
Representative John Lewis, D-Georgia
In 1998, Senator Schumer said, and I quote, ‘This impeachment will be used as a routine tool to fight political battles.’ We thought it was a prediction. It was a promise, and now it’s playing out. It’s exactly what’s being done here…This is a travesty, and we’re in big trouble, because Schumer was right. Now it’s lowered the bar. It will be used for political battles, and this country’s end is now in sight. I hope I don’t live to see it. This is an outrage.
Representative Louis Gohmert, R- Texas
He solicited foreign interference before, he’s doing it now, and he will do it again. The president is the smoking gun.
Representative Pramila Jayapal, D-Washington
There has never been a single-party, fraudulent impeachment process like the one being used today. Our Democratic colleagues have weaponized the impeachment provision of the Constitution to nullify the votes of 63 million Americans who elected Donald J. Trump.
Representative Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana
What we are doing here today is not only patriotic, it is uniquely American. America is a story of of ordinary people confronting abuses of power with a steadfast pursuit of justice. Throughout our history, the oppressed have been relegated to the margins by the powerful, and each time, we have fought back, deliberate in our approach, clear-eyed.
Ayanna Pressley, D-Massachusetts
