WASHINGTON, D.C. — Indiana’s members of the U.S. House of Representatives voted along party lines on Wednesday’s impeachment of President Donald Trump.
The seven Republicans all voted against impeaching Trump, while the two Democratic members voted in favor of it.
Wednesday’s vote was the most bipartisan impeachment measure in United States history, with 10 Republicans voting in favor.
Scroll down for statements from House members explaining their vote:
Democratic Rep. Frank Mrvan:
I support the article of impeachment so that we can move forward and do the work that our constituents sent us here to do. pic.twitter.com/9kocT3Qryu
— Rep. Frank J. Mrvan (@RepMrvan) January 13, 2021
Republican Rep. Jim Banks:
Right now, I’m headed to the House floor to vote against impeachment.
The Democrat party is dividing America when we should be doing everything we can to unite the country.
Watch: pic.twitter.com/HsjfHns05i
— Jim Banks (@RepJimBanks) January 13, 2021
Republican Rep. Greg Pence:
“Today I voted against impeaching President Trump. The President has made it clear he will support a peaceful transfer of power to President-elect Joe Biden. It’s time to move on & focus on what truly helps the American people: recovering from COVID-19 & restoring our economy.”
Republican Rep. Jackie Walorski:
“In the wake of a divisive election and last week’s horrific attack on the U.S. Capitol, Congress should be entirely focused on uniting the American people and strengthening our country. Impeaching the president with less than a week left in his term will not advance either of these goals.
President Trump has pledged an orderly transition to President-elect Biden’s administration, and I call on all Americans to support this effort by remaining peaceful and rejecting all violence. Anyone who commits violent or destructive acts will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
Republican Rep. Victoria Spartz:
“I appreciate a variety of opinions, but any accusations must go through the proper due process, whether it is election fraud or an impeachable offense. As someone who did not support objections to the certification last week, I will not support this political charade today. The rule of law and due process are vital to what our Constitutional Republic stands for.
Congress should stop playing divisive politics and start working on delivering good policies for the American people.”
Republican Rep. Larry Bucshon:
“Our nation is divided, and partisan tensions are at levels most of us have never seen before – not just in the halls of Congress but amongst neighbors in our communities as well. As President Abraham Lincoln said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” For the sake of the future of our Republic, we must come together as a nation as we prepare to move forward under the leadership of President-elect Joe Biden.
As of today, President Trump has one week left in his administration. Given the great division that exists in our nation, we need healing and a renewed sense of unity. A partisan impeachment is the last thing that our nation needs at this time – which is why I could not support it. Furthermore, impeachment is an extraordinary power that should be wielded by the House as part of a deliberate process involving committee consideration with witnesses and due process protections for the subject of impeachment – and this impeachment was neither deliberate nor the result of any process.
I welcome the calls for unity from my friends across the aisle and would welcome the lowering of the temperature of the rhetoric and partisan tensions in Congress. I stand ready to work alongside my colleagues to move our nation forward and address the important issues that need to be addressed. But a call for unity cannot be extended with an expectation that principled members cannot disagree with their liberal colleagues’ policies and goals along the way. We can have healthy and robust debate where we disagree without being disagreeable. Just as I do not expect my Democratic colleagues to abandon their principles, I will not abandon my conservative principles or polices.”
Democratic Rep. André Carson:
“It was a sad but necessary duty today to vote to impeach the president, again. But I swore an oath to protect and defend our Constitution, and our Democracy. That means Donald Trump must be removed from office before he does more damage, or more lives are endangered, or lost.
It is encouraging the vote to impeach today was a bipartisan majority of the People’s House, it encouraged me to see some of my Republican colleagues stand up and do the right thing for country.
Unfortunately, some of those who voted against impeachment today, justified their failure to act by saying it would cause more division. But they deliberately ignore the division enflamed by Donald Trump and their blind fealty to his baseless claims of election fraud. They share his denial that he lost the election, and instead, doubled down on efforts to disenfranchise millions of voters, particularly Black and Brown voters. They ignore the irrefutable facts that Trump is a very clear and present danger to our country, our safety, our Democracy.
Many spoke on the floor about healing, but healing and reconciliation cannot occur without remorse, repentance and acknowledgement of the harm and damage their actions and complicity have caused.
I really don’t know what hurts my heart and head the most – the dangerous actions of Donald Trump to incite attacks against Congress, or watching his enablers on the House floor torturously contort themselves into defending his words and deeds.
Their painful denial and delusion is dangerous. These steady drumbeats fueled the deadly mob in Charlottesville and then insurrectionists who attacked the Capitol.
The seditionists were wrapped in confederate flags and Blue Lives Matter flags, when they beat an officer to death – hitting an officer in the head with a fire extinguisher! They claimed they love law and order, but their lawless violence shows us the truth.
The facts are that Trump’s insurrectionists came to the Capitol with plans to kidnap or kill my fellow Hoosier, Vice President Pence, Speaker Pelosi, and other government officials.
I just learned yesterday that I was on the hit list of one of the indicted insurrectionists because I am a Black Member of Congress and a Muslim man. It is extremely disturbing to learn from press reports that I was one of several individuals identified in a list of “good guys” and “bad guys” targeted for attacks.
This indicted terrorist had the means and opportunity to carry out his plans to violently attack, injure and destroy government officials and related offices in our Nation’s Capitol.
These were not idle threats. These were planned and organized measures to take my life, my colleagues’ lives and try to destroy our government.
We must get to the bottom of the failure of law enforcement leadership to protect the U.S. Capitol. We must investigate every lead and prosecute all perpetrators to the fullest extent of the law, including any Members, officers or staff who were complicit in the attack.
Today’s vote to impeach Donald Trump is necessary to remove from office a man who failed to honor his duty to the Constitution and the American people.”
