Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for High Crimes and Misdemeanors

Floor Speech

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Mr. MFUME. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Ms. Pelosi and our House Democratic colleagues who moved swiftly to begin impeachment proceedings against President Donald J. Trump for his role in inciting the deadly January 6, 2021 attack on this United States Capitol.

This impeachment is not about politics. It is about the President's failed attempt to overturn a free and fair election, a violent insurrection, and the ongoing threat this President poses to our nation.

For months, President Trump knowingly spread falsehoods about a ``stolen election'' in an effort to subvert the results and a peaceful transfer of power. Through an act of desperation, he called and threatened a government official demanding that he finds ``lost votes'' in Georgia or face criminal charges. As if this were not enough, the President went a step further, pressuring Vice President Michael Pence to unlawfully reject certification of Electoral College votes. Then, in a last-ditch effort to regain power, on the morning of January 6, 2021, President Trump urged his supporters to prevent Congress from certifying the election results.

The scenes from January 6th's deadly domestic terror attack will forever be etched in the hearts and minds of our families, neighbors, and colleagues. Mr. Trump has peddled vitriol, violent anger, and extremism for years. Since the day he was elected to serve this great nation as Commander in Chief, he has provided oxygen to the dangerous ideologies of white supremacy. That hate grew, festered, and eventually culminated into the chaos and siege of the U.S. Capitol. Five Americans died during this violent attack and more than 50 police officers were seriously injured.

President Trump, through his traitorous incitement of insurrection, broke his constitutional oath to preserve, protect, and defend our country. This offense warrants not only impeachment but immediate removal from office and permanent disqualification from holding any office of honor, trust, or profit in these United States.

While it is unfortunate that our nation has come to this place, it is incumbent upon Congress to act. I firmly believe history will judge the idle and the complicit. On the 13th day of January in the year 2021, I am standing with my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to perform my constitutional duty to protect American democracy and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

I will vote to impeach Donald J. Trump.

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