By Congressman Jason Smith
A little over a week ago, the entire nation watched in horror as our United States Capitol Building came under attack. The same day that a mob entered the Capitol to disrupt our Constitutional obligation, Members of Congress resumed our work. Both Republicans and Democrats quickly came forward to denounce the violence, but that unity was short-lived.
We need to ensure a riot like what occurred never happens again, and I’ve called on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to create a bipartisan commission to investigate these attacks. Only through a careful review of the facts can we ensure the seat of our nation’s democracy is safe and secure.
I’m embarrassed that instead of coming together, this week we saw an effort to stoke the anger and division in our country.
First, a resolution was introduced to expel Members of Congress who voted against certifying the election results. A process that is enshrined in the constitution. In case you were wondering, it didn’t call for the expulsion of the House Democrats who had voted against previous election certifications.
Then, predictably, the conversation quickly devolved into impeachment … again. I spoke on the House floor against this misguided, politically motivated impeachment.
Democrats united behind their hatred for President Trump and conservatives. They didn’t call any witnesses, there was not a single hearing, and only debated for two hours before President Trump was impeached for a second time.
Think about this: every House Democrat voted to impeach a president who has 7 days left in his term, and the United States Senate has made clear it won’t be voted on before he leaves office. At every turn throughout his four years in office, House Democrats have repeatedly tried to punish President Trump for actions that they do not hold themselves accountable for. Can you name a single politician who has been reprimanded for encouraging or failing to condemn the violent riots that occurred over the summer? The double standard is glaring.
They chose to put politics over people, when it should always be the other way around.
Impeachment is supposed to be a tool of last resort, but instead it has been turned into a political weapon the last two years. In fact, the Framers even debated about whether or not to include it in the U.S. Constitution for this very reason.
With the clock ticking down on the final days of the Trump Administration, Nancy Pelosi, blinded by her hatred of a President she never accepted, was determined to blame President Trump for the terrible actions of some violent individuals.
This is wrong.
The individuals responsible for the mayhem need to be identified and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. President Trump’s own executive action calling for 10-year minimum sentences for violent rioters gives our legal system the tools it needs to hold these people accountable. A thorough investigation needs to take place, and we need accountability.
We now know that there were direct warnings given to Federal authorities that fell through the cracks, and there was a breakdown in communication between law enforcement departments. It seems that Nancy Pelosi has an agenda and uncovering the truth the American people deserve is not a part of it.
Now, the Speaker has said she will not send the articles of impeachment over to the Senate immediately. She knows that her party plans to pursue a reckless liberal agenda, and it will divide Democrats. My guess is impeachment will be rolled back out right when they need to unify Democrats again. After all, the most unifying thing in her party is hatred of President Trump.
