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U.S. House representatives in the area all Republican voted lock-step with their party against impeaching the President Donald Trump, despite last weeks insurrection at the nations Capitol.

Only 10 Republicans, including House Caucus Leader Liz Cheney, crossed party lines to vote in favor of impeaching a president who played a role in whipping a crowd into a frenzy before they laid siege to the U.S. Capitol building.

So far, five people have died as a direct result of the attack a Capitol police officer took his life in the aftermath of the attack.

None of the U.S. Representatives in the Tri-State voted in favor impeaching the president. Almost all described their reasons as wanting to move on and unify a country that has frankly been torn apart by vicious and partisan rhetoric and conspiracy theories propagated by the president.

With the exception of Ohios Bill Westrup and Kentuckys Thomas Massie, all the representatives voted in favor of objecting to the certifying the election, despite overwhelming evidence that no widespread voter fraud occurred.

Local U.S. senators, who are poised to try the president when they come back into session, were largely silent on the issue. Only Sen. Rand Paul has explicitly stated they would not vote to convict soon-to-be-former President Trump.

U.S. House statements

Kentucky

In a tweet sent at 7:44 a.m. on Wednesday, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-KY (4th District), wrote: I will vote Nay on impeachment today. I think pursuing impeachment will unnecessarily increase political division in our country and serves no real purpose.

In a statement sent to the press Wednesday, Kentucky 5th District Rep. Hal Rogers wrote: What we need in America today is hope for a united and peaceful nation, gaining strength at every corner, not another vote to divide our country from within. President Donald Trump is not our enemy and President-elect Joe Biden is not our enemy. Over the last four decades, I have served alongside six U.S. presidents, including four Republicans and two Democrats Biden will be the third. Through different administrations, I have always reached across the aisle and worked to find common ground for the good of the American people, and we need to get back to the peoples business. However, todays impeachment vote is not the way to bring Americans together.

West Virginia

Carol Miller, the Republican congresswoman of the Third District, wrote in a statement: America is in desperate need of healing and unity, not further division. President Trump will be leaving office in one week. That is why I voted today not to impeach President Trump. Many of my colleagues will join me in opposing impeachment, and many of my colleagues will support impeachment. While we may disagree on this issue and others, every single member of the House of Representatives wants the same thing for our constituents and our nation a safe, free and prosperous country. We might disagree on how we achieve those goals, but our shared values are stronger than our disagreements. Every member, regardless of their vote today or in the future, deserves the respect due to any individual to serve the public to the best of their ability.

Ohio

Ben Westrup, Republican from Ohios Second District wrote: Investigations into the tragic events of January 6th are still ongoing. The facts of the day have not been fully uncovered. However, it is already clear that many came to Washington, D.C., prepared for violence before any words were spoken at the morning rally. It would be prudent to wait for all of the facts to come to light if we are to properly evaluate the gravity of the situation. If Members of Congress want to build a serious and credible case against President Trump, they should wait until we have a complete, factual understanding of what transpired. Given these concerns and limitations, I cannot support this impeachment that is markedly short of due process.

Bill Johnson, R-Ohio 6th, released a statement on Tuesdays vote to pressure Vice President Mike Pence into invoking the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office: Today, America needs a chance to begin healing. America needs a break from the riots, the violence and the vitriol political rhetoric that is encouraging this toxic environment.A 25th Amendment measure or impeachment will do nothing to help America heal, but will certainly widen the division. And, to intentionally further alienate tens of millions of Americans with raw nerves who already feel alienated economically and culturally by Americas political, corporate, academic and media elites is both reckless and potentially further destabilizing.

U.S. Senate statements

Kentucky

Sen. Mitch McConell did not indicate howd he vote when the articles of impeachment move to the U.S. Senate. However, as the Senate Majority leader, he did release a statement explaining why he has declined to call the Senate back early to take up the article:

Given the rules, procedures, and Senate precedents that govern presidential impeachment trials, there is simply no chance that a fair or serious trial could conclude before President-elect Biden is sworn in next week. The Senate has held three presidential impeachment trials. They have lasted 83 days, 37 days and 21 days, respectively.

Even if the Senate process were to begin this week and move promptly, no final verdict would be reached until after President Trump had left office. This is not a decision I am making; it is a fact. The President-elect himself stated last week that his inauguration on Jan. 20 is the quickest path for any change in the occupant of the presidency.

In light of this reality, I believe it will best serve our nation if Congress and the executive branch spend the next seven days completely focused on facilitating a safe inauguration and an orderly transfer of power to the incoming Biden Administration. I am grateful to the offices and institutions within the Capitol that are working around the clock, alongside federal and local law enforcement, to prepare for a safe and successful inauguration at the Capitol next Wednesday.

Sen. Rand Paul has not released a formal statement, but he did tell WDRB on Jan. 11, "Theres been a justified rebuke of what happened, and the whole electoral college debacle, and the mob and everything else," he said. "I dont think theres any escaping that. But I think its best for the country to try to move on."

West Virginia

Sen. Shelly Moore Capito, a Republican from West Virginia, has not released any statement regarding impeachment. However, she did lay blame at the Presidents feet for the Capitol insurrection in an interview with WV MetroNews Talkline:

I did support the president, and I did support the policies and I think the policies were good for West Virginia. But this is inexcusable.

Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democratic centrist and a frequent swing vote on close measures, had asked House Democrats to pump the brakes on impeaching the president, stating he didnt believe there were enough votes to convict in the Senate.

"I think this is so ill-advised forJoe Bidento be coming in, trying to heal the country, trying to be the president of all the people when we are going to be so divided and fighting again. Let the judicial system do its job. Manchin is quoted in The Hill.

Manchin has also told the press that he believes Trump committed impeachable conduct.

Ohio

U.S. Rob Portman, a noted centerist Republican, issued the following statement: As I said yesterday, the attack on the U.S. Capitol was an attack on democracy itself, and the president bears some responsibility for what occurred. It was important that the president clearly stated today that violence of any kind is unacceptable.

Today the House voted to impeach the president for his role in the events of Jan. 6. If the Senate proceeds with an impeachment trial, I will do my duty as a juror and listen to the cases presented by both sides.

President-elect Biden has rightly said he wants to set a new tone of greater unity as his administration begins. All of us should be concerned about the polarization in our country and work toward bringing people together. If the Senate conducts an impeachment trial, among my considerations will be what is best to help heal our country rather than deepen our divisions.

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, has not offered recent statements regarding impeachment. However, he did call on Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment: Domestic terrorists attacked our seat of government, at the behest of the President of the United States. This was his last, desperate attempt to overturn the will of the American voters, but he failed, and democracy won. We must hold the president accountable for inciting this attack on our country. The cabinet and vice president should immediately invoke the 25th Amendment to remove him from office, to prevent him from doing more damage between now and Inauguration Day.

(606) 326-2653 |

henry@dailyindependent.com

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Representatives, senators weigh in on impeachment - The Independent