Hoyer: Today Is a Sad Day for Our Republic
WASHINGTON, DC - House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement this afternoon following the Senate's votes to acquit President Trump on both articles of impeachment:
“Today is a sad day for our republic. The United States Senate, acting as a court of impeachment under our Constitution, did not remove a president who abused his power and invited foreign interference in the upcoming election to benefit himself personally. The bipartisan vote in favor of holding him accountable and preserving, protecting, and defending our Constitution against a clear, impeachable offense was, unfortunately, not enough to overcome a partisan firewall of senators who chose loyalty to President Trump over loyalty to their oaths.
“History will remember those who had the courage to stand up to this President, particularly Senator Romney, whose courage and conviction I salute. His principles will surely earn him the esteem of his fellow Americans for generations to come, even if they earn him condemnation by some in his own party in the days and months ahead. History, too, will remember the actions of those who voted to give this President a free pass, even as they chastised him for his misconduct.
“Make no mistake: this impeachment trial was not a fair one. Without hearing witnesses or subpoenaing documents, this could not even be called a trial at all. As a result, the President has not been exonerated. The House Managers proved their case, which they argued with great professionalism, integrity, and patriotism. I thank them for their service to the House and to the nation in rising to this challenge.
“Contrary to the reasoning of some Republican senators, the President will learn no lesson from this process other than that he now has no constraints to hold him back from his worst impulses. I fear the precedent Senate Republicans have now set. I worry for the future of our republic if its chief executive cannot be held in check by representatives of the people and the states, particularly one who has already demonstrated a disdain for the rule of law and the role of an independent judiciary.
“The House will continue to do its job for the people, which includes proper oversight into this Administration. We will do our duty to ensure that our Constitution is respected and upheld.”