Democrat Claims Impeachment Vote Was Bipartisan — Despite Zero Votes From Republicans

When the House of Representatives voted to begin impeachment proceedings against President Trump, the resolution passed by a final vote of 232-196. 

Not a single Republicans voted for the measure, although two Democrats joined all Republicans in voting against it.

But to one Democrat, the vote was “bipartisan.”

 

“That’s what this is,” Rep Jamie Raskin of Maryland said on Fox News. “For open hearings and the availability of the public to participate in this process. I was happy also that the independent in the House, Justin Amash, voted with the Democrats. So it was bipartisan, or multi-partisan in that sense.”

Rep. Justin Amash, for the record, who did vote in favor of an official impeachment inquiry into Trump, left the Republican Party in July. He has since voted often with the Democrats.

“This president will be in power for only a short time, but excusing his misbehavior will forever tarnish your name,” he wrote Thursday on Twitter. “To my Republican colleagues: Step outside your media and social bubble. History will not look kindly on disingenuous, frivolous, and false defenses of this man.”

Raskin expressed sadness that more Republicans did not vote to impeach the Republican president.

“I’m sorry that there weren’t at least a handful of Republicans who were willing to vote for what the GOP’s basically been asking for, which is open hearings,” he said.

“Everything that’s taken place up to now has been scrupulously bipartisan,” Raskin added. “All of the closed-door depositions that have been taking place have given 50 percent of the staff questioning time to the Republicans, 50 percent to the Democrats. Members on both sides have been able to ask — and that’s precisely how it will proceed. And the president will have all the rights that the president had during the Clinton impeachment.”

But Democrats control the House, which means they control committees. That could give them control over what witnesses Republicans are allowed to call. 

Only two House Democrats, Reps. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey and D-N.J. and Collin Peterson of Minnesota voted against the inquiry. Both represent districts that voted heavily for Trump.

In  1998, the last time Congress pursued impeachment, 31 Democrats joined all Republicans in a 257-176 vote launching an inquiry into then-President Bill Clinton.

THAT was bipartisan.