House

Washington state rep joins list of Republicans voting to impeach Trump

by Morgan Gstalter - 01/13/21 7:43 AM ET

Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.) late Tuesday joined the growing list of GOP lawmakers who will vote to impeach President Trump after a violent mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol last week.

Beutler said in a statement that Trump “incited a riot” aimed at blocking a peaceful transition to President-elect Joe Biden.

“Hours went by before the President did anything meaningful to stop the attack,” she wrote. “Instead, he and his lawyer were busy making calls to senators who were still in lockdown, seeking their support to further delay the Electoral College certification.”

The Washington Republican noted that Trump launched a Twitter attack against Vice President Pence while some in the mob were chanting threats to hang him.

She also denounced Trump’s “pathetic denouncement of violence that also served as a wink and a nod to those who perpetuated it,” noting how the president said he loved the protesters and called them “special.”

“The President’s offenses, in my reading of the Constitution, were impeachable based on the indisputable evidence we already have,” Beutler said. “I understand the argument that the best course is not to further inflame the country or alienate Republican voters. But I am a Republican voter. I believe in our Constitution, individual liberty, free markets, charity, life, justice, peace and this exceptional country.”

“I see that my own party will be best served when those among us choose truth,” she continued. “I believe President Trump acted against his oath of office, so I will vote to impeach him.”

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— Jaime Herrera Beutler (@HerreraBeutler) January 13, 2021

Beutler joined several members of her caucus in calling for Trump to be impeached.

House Republican Conference Chair Liz Cheney (Wyo.), Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) and Tuesday Group Co-Chairs John Katko (R-N.Y.) and Fred Upton (R-Mich.) all issued statements on Tuesday saying the president’s rhetoric the day of the riot met the threshold of an impeachable offense.

The House is set to vote to impeach Trump for a second time on Wednesday. The resolution, crafted by Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), David Cicilline (D-R.I.) and Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), charges Trump with high crimes and misdemeanors for “willfully inciting violence against the Government of the United States.”