San Joaquin Valley Rep. David Valadao Becomes Only California GOP Member To Vote For Impeaching Trump
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A Central California representative who was only just sworn in yesterday was the lone Golden State Republican who voted to impeach Pres. Donald Trump.
On Wednesday, all of the chamber's 222 Democrats voted in support of a single article of impeachment on "incitement of insurrection" in response to the riot at the US Capitol last week that left five people dead.
Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento), placed the blame squarely on Trump for last week's chaos.
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"The President incited last Wednesday's insurrection against our nation's most sacred democratic values - and his attempt to overthrow the will of the American people is a gross betrayal of his oath," Matsui said in a statement after the vote.
Nearly all of California's GOP representatives voted against impeachment. Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Elk Grove) said while disagreed with Trump's efforts to overturn the election, impeaching the president with less than a week before he leaves office would drive the nation further apart.
"I cannot think of a more petty, vindictive and gratuitous act than to impeach an already defeated President a week before he is to leave office. President-elect Biden's promise to heal the nation becomes a hollow mockery in the harsh reality of this unconstitutional act." pic.twitter.com/QpOaWNsPbH
— Tom McClintock (@RepMcClintock) January 13, 2021
"I cannot think of a more petty, vindictive and gratuitous act than to impeach an already defeated President a week before he is to leave office," McClintock said during Wednesday's hearing.
Still, a total of 10 Republicans from the chamber joined in support of impeachment - with one of those being Rep. David Valadao (R-Hanford).
Valadao criticized Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), saying that she "has thrown precedent and process out of the window" by rushing through with impeachment. But, he still placed the blame on Trump's rhetoric for the Jan. 6 riot.
"Based on the facts before me, I have to go with my gut and vote my conscience. I voted to impeach President Trump," Valadao tweeted after the vote. "His inciting rhetoric was un-American, abhorrent, and absolutely an impeachable offense. It's time to put country over politics."
Based on the facts before me, I have to go with my gut and vote my conscience. I voted to impeach President Trump. His inciting rhetoric was un-American, abhorrent, and absolutely an impeachable offense. It's time to put country over politics.
— Rep. David Valadao (@RepDavidValadao) January 13, 2021
Despite the vote to impeach, with Trump just having seven days left in office, the Senate trial is expected to stretch into the term of President-elect Joe Biden.
A two-thirds vote of the Senate is required to convict Trump.