February 9, 2020
By Spineless ‘Leaders’ of Democracy
“I agree he did something inappropriate, but I don’t agree he did anything akin to treason, bribery, high crimes and misdemeanors. I think there’s a big gap there. As Professor Dershowitz pointed out, 40 presidents have been accused of abuse of power since Washington. So, many presidents have done inappropriate things. I think it’s appropriate for me as a United States senator to say, ‘Mr. President, you shouldn’t do that.’ But that doesn’t mean that I should take it upon myself to vote, to remove him from office and take him off the ballot. I think that’s up to the people.” ~Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.)
“Since first seeing the transcript of the phone call between President Trump and President Zelensky four months ago, I’ve consistently said that the President asking Ukraine for an investigation of Joe Biden was inappropriate and wrong. I’ve also said since then that any actions taken by members of the administration or those outside the administration to try to delay military assistance or a White House meeting pending an investigation by Ukraine were not appropriate, either. But while I don’t condone this behavior, these actions do not rise to the level of removing President Trump from office and taking him off the ballot in a presidential election season that’s already well underway. …In this case, no crime is alleged. …It’s better to let the people decide.”~Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio)
“It is clear from the July 25, 2019, phone call between President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky that the investigation into the Bidens’ activities requested by President Trump was improper and demonstrated very poor judgment. …Regardless, it was wrong for President Trump to mention former Vice President Biden on that phone call, and it was wrong for him to ask a foreign country to investigate a political rival. …While I do not believe that the conviction of a President requires a criminal act, the high bar for removal from office is perhaps even higher when the impeachment is for a difficult-to-define noncriminal act.” ~Sen. Susan Collins (R-Me)
“The President’s behavior was shameful and wrong. His personal interests do not take precedence over those of this great nation.”~Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
“Even if one concedes that John Bolton’s entire testimony would support Adam Schiff’s argument, this doesn’t add to the reality already established: The aid delay was wrong.” ~Ben Sasse (R-NE)
“The allegations made in the articles of impeachment are very serious. As a Senator-juror, I swore an oath, before God, to exercise “impartial justice.” I am a profoundly religious person. I take an oath before God as enormously consequential. I knew from the outset that being tasked with judging the President, the leader of my own party, would be the most difficult decision I have ever faced. I was not wrong...The grave question the Constitution tasks senators to answer is whether the President committed an act so extreme and egregious that it rises to the level of a ‘high crime and misdemeanor.’ Yes, he did. The President asked a foreign government to investigate his political rival. The President withheld vital military funds from that government to press it to do so. The President delayed funds for an American ally at war with Russian invaders. The President’s purpose was personal and political. Accordingly, the President is guilty of an appalling abuse of the public trust.“~Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT)
“I don’t like people who use their faith as justification for doing what they know is wrong.” President Trump