Why Congress Was Right To Impeach Donald Trump

Last week, the House of Representatives impeached Donald Trump for the second time. They charged the President for inciting an insurrection, a tragic scene that played out before the eyes of the world on January 6th, 2021. But as I watched the impeachment debate and vote unfold, I was reminded that this is no ordinary moment in American life.

The words and actions of President Trump since his November election loss are without historical parallel. After Joe Biden was declared the winner, Trump used his bully pulpit to sow chaos and unrest amongst the American people. He undermined the Constitution, attacked the bedrock of democratic elections, and promoted dangerous conspiracy theories, all to convince his followers that Biden's win was illegitimate. The natural conclusion of this campaign against America occurred when the President encouraged a group of domestic terrorists to attack the Capitol in what amounted to an attempted coup. His reckless words and actions that day resulted in the deaths of six Americans, including two police officers, and threatened the lives of many more.

These shameful actions are why the House of Representatives engaged in the most bipartisan impeachment vote in American history on Wednesday, a decision I wholeheartedly support. Many in opposition to this decision point to the fact that we will soon have a new President as a reason to forgo this process. Yes, President-elect Biden will be sworn in before any verdict is rendered in President Trump's Senate impeachment trial. However, if anything, that fact only makes the need to impeach and convict this President more pressing. What kind of precedent are we setting if we allow any outgoing elected official to abuse the public trust in the time before they leave office? Will we defend the need for peaceful transitions of power or send the message that any future president can act as a dictator in the time before they leave office?

Yet, as we take these actions, we must be honest with ourselves- this was not the first time that Donald Trump threatened the very heart of what it means to be an American. His disregard for the principles of self-government has always been apparent. It is far past time that we hold him accountable for his conduct, which amounts to vandalizing our Constitution and disgracing the Presidency. Inciting the Capitol Hill Insurrection was not Donald Trump's first impeachable offense, but we are obligated to make sure that it is his last.

My friends, we must rise to this occasion and set aside the passions of our day. The bonds of American affection that unite us are so much greater than the President's attempts to divide us. I am confident that the better angels of our nature will prevail in this struggle, but only when we uphold our Constitution and make it clear that Donald Trump's un-American actions on January 6th will not stand. The mystic chords of the present American memory will ring into the future generations of our republic. The question is, to what tune will these memories ring? Will future generations remember us for Donald Trump's misdeeds, or will they remember us for our trust in the resilience of American democracy? Let's be sure we stand on the right side of history.