2021: Fitzpatrick Voted Against Impeaching President Trump For
Incitement Of Insurrection After He Repeatedly Claimed Voter Fraud Led
To The 2020 Presidential Election Results And Made Statements At A Rally
That Encouraged The January 6th Insurrection. In January 2021,
Fitzpatrick voted against a resolution over an article of impeachment
which would, according to Congressional Quarterly, "impeach President
Donald Trump for incitement of insurrection by 'inciting violence
against the government of the United States.' Specifically, it would
state that Trump 'repeatedly issued false statements' asserting that the
results of the 2020 presidential election were the product of widespread
fraud and should not be accepted or certified. It would state that Trump
made statements at a rally on Jan. 6, 2020, that 'encouraged -- and
foreseeably resulted in -- lawless action' at the Capitol building
during the certification of electoral college votes, during which
protesters entered the Capitol, attacked law enforcement personnel,
'menaced' members of Congress and the vice president, and engaged in
other 'violent, deadly, destructive, and seditious acts.' It would state
that Trump's conduct on Jan. 6 followed prior efforts 'to subvert and
obstruct' the certification of 2020 presidential election results,
including during a Jan. 2 phone call during which he urged Georgia
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to 'find' enough votes to overturn
the state's presidential election results and 'threatened Secretary
Raffensperger if he failed to do so.' It would state President Trump's
'endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of
government' and that he 'threatened the integrity of the democratic
system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power, and imperiled
a coordinate branch of government.' Pursuant to the rule (H Res 41),
upon adoption of the article of impeachment, the House agreed to the
resolution (H Res 40) that would appoint and authorize the following
impeachment trial managers to conduct the impeachment trial against
President Donald Trump in the Senate: Reps. Raskin, D-Md., DeGette,
D-Colo., Cicilline, D-R.I., Castro, D-Texas, Swalwell, D-Calif., Lieu,
D-Calif., Plaskett, D-V.I., Neguse, D-Colo., and Dean, D-Pa." The vote
was on agreeing to the resolution. The House passed the resolution by a
vote of 232-197, but the Senate failed to acquit former President Trump.
[House Vote 17, 1/13/21;
Congressional Quarterly,
1/13/21; Congressional Actions,
H.Res.
24]
Republicans Opposed The Second Impeachment Of President Trump Due
To The Hurried Process, The Short Time Left Within President Trump's
Presidency, And Concerns Of Furthering Polarization In The Country
That Could Lead To More Violence. According to Congressional
Quarterly, "Republicans opposed to impeachment have cited a variety
of reasons: the rushed process, the fact that Trump only has seven
days left in office and concern that the action would only further
divide the country and potentially lead to further violence at a
time when it needs to unify." [Congressional Quarterly,
1/13/21]
Despite His Acquittal, Donald Trump Was The President To Receive
The Most Votes For His Conviction From His Own Party. According to
AP News, "Though he was acquitted of the sole charge of incitement
of insurrection, it was easily the largest number of senators to
ever vote to find a president of their own party guilty of an
impeachment count of high crimes and misdemeanors." [AP News,
2/13/21]
House Prosecutors Argued That Trump Led The Capitol Attack By
Using Harsh Rhetoric And False Claims For Months, Which Resulted In
Five Dead People. According to AP News, "House prosecutors have
argued that Trump's was the 'inciter in chief' stoking a months-long
campaign with an orchestrated pattern of violent rhetoric and false
claims they called the 'big lie' that unleashed the mob. Five people
died, including a rioter who was shot and a police officer." [AP
News,
2/13/21]
Trump's Attorneys Argued That His Comments Were Not Intended To
Inspire Violence And That Seeking Impeachment Was A "Witch Hunt"
Intended To Prevent Him From Running For Office In The Future.
According to AP News, "Trump's lawyers countered that Trump's words
were not intended to incite the violence and that impeachment is
nothing but a 'witch hunt' designed to prevent him from serving in
office again." [AP News,
2/13/21]
2021: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against Impeaching President Trump
For Incitement Of Insurrection. In January 2021, according to
Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted against the "adoption of the
rule (H Res 41) for the resolution (H Res 24) containing one article of
impeachment against President Donald Trump for incitement of
insurrection. The rule would provide for two hours of debate on the
article of impeachment without any intervening motion or question,
equally divided between the chair and ranking member of the House
Judiciary Committee or their designees. The rule would provide for
automatic agreement, upon adoption of the article of impeachment, to a
resolution (H Res 40) appointing and authorizing managers for the
impeachment trial in the Senate." The vote was on the adoption of the
rule. The House adopted the rule by a vote of 221-203. [House Vote 16,
1/13/21; Congressional
Quarterly, 1/13/21;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
24;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
41]
2021: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against Impeaching President Trump
For Incitement Of Insurrection. In January 2021, according to
Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted against the "motion to order
the previous question (thus ending debate and possibility of amendment)
on the rule (H Res 41) for the resolution (H Res 24) containing one
article of impeachment against President Donald Trump for incitement of
insurrection. The rule would provide for two hours of debate on the
article of impeachment without any intervening motion or question,
equally divided between the chair and ranking member of the House
Judiciary Committee or their designees. The rule would provide for
automatic agreement, upon adoption of the article of impeachment, to a
resolution (H Res 40) appointing and authorizing managers for the
impeachment trial in the Senate." The vote was on a motion to order the
previous question. The House agreed to the motion by a vote of 221-205.
[House Vote 15, 1/13/21;
Congressional Quarterly,
1/13/21; Congressional Actions,
H.Res.
24;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
41]
2021: Fitzpatrick Voted Against Invoking The 25th Amendment To Remove
President Trump After Attempting To Intervene In Georgia's Vote Count
And Coerce State Officials To Declare Him Winner, Claiming The November
2020 Elections Were Fraudulent, And Inciting The January 6th
Insurrection At The U.S. Capitol. In January 2021, Fitzpatrick voted
against a resolution which would, according to Congressional Quarterly,
"state that the House of Representatives calls on Vice President Mike
Pence to use his powers under section 4 of the 25th Amendment to convene
and mobilize members of the president's cabinet to declare that
President Donald Trump is unable to successfully discharge the duties
and powers of his office, and to transmit notice to Congress that Pence
will immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as acting
president. The resolution would state among its findings that Trump
'widely advertised and broadly encouraged' participation in the march on
the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, which turned into a violent
insurrectionary mob that resulted in 5 deaths following the storming of
the Capitol building; did not appeal to his followers to exit the
Capitol during the insurrection; refused to accept the results of the
2020 presidential election as legitimate; and made at least three
attempts to intervene in the vote counting and certification process in
the state of Georgia and to 'coerce' its state officials to declare him
the winner of the state's electoral votes." The vote was on agreeing to
the resolution. The House passed the resolution by a vote of 223-205.
[House Vote 14, 1/12/21;
Congressional Quarterly,
1/12/21; Congressional Actions,
H.Res.
21]
While Congress Was In Session Formally Counting The Electoral
College Votes, President Trump Claimed The "Presidential Election
Was Stolen" And To "Fight Like Hell" Before His Supporters Raided
The U.S. Capitol. According to Congressional Quarterly, "The
article of impeachment points to comments Trump made to his
supporters, who gathered in Washington, D.C. on the same day
Congress met to formally count the Electoral College votes, that the
presidential election was stolen. He also told his supporters to
'fight like hell' before some of them stormed the Capitol,
interrupting the certification of President-elect Joe Biden's
victory." [Congressional Quarterly,
1/12/21]
Trump Coerced Georgia's Secretary Of State To "Find" The
Sufficient Votes To Overturn Biden's Win. According to
Congressional Quarterly, "It also cites Trump's false claims that
there was widespread fraud in last year's election and his phone
call with the Georgia secretary of state during which the president
pressured the election official to 'find' enough votes to overturn
Biden's win in the state." [Congressional Quarterly,
1/12/21]
The Same Republicans From The Rules Committee That Voted To Block
The Electoral College's Certifications Voted Against The Resolution
To Impeach Trump. According to Congressional Quarterly, "Rules
Committee Republicans --- all four of whom voted last week to block
certification of the electoral college results --- opposed the
resolution, calling for unity ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's
inauguration next week." [Congressional Quarterly,
1/12/21]
2021: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against Removing President Donald
Trump From Office By Calling On Vice President Mike Pence To Invoke The
25th Amendment. In January 2021, according to Congressional Quarterly,
Fitzpatrick voted against the "adoption of the rule (H Res 38) that
would provide for floor consideration of the resolution (H Res 21)
calling on Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment and
remove President Donald Trump from office. The rule would provide for up
to one hour of debate on the resolution and automatic adoption of a
Nadler, D-N.Y., manager's amendment that would correct language in the
findings related to the legal authority of Congress to count electoral
votes, as prescribed by section 15 of title 3 of United States Code. It
would waive the prohibition against 'personality' in debate with respect
to references to the president during debate on the resolution or on the
impeachment resolution (H Res 24) that would impeach President Donald
Trump for incitement of insurrection." The vote was on the adoption of
the rule. The House adopted the rule by a vote of 222-204. [House Vote
13, 1/12/21;
Congressional Quarterly,
1/12/21; Congressional Actions,
H.Res.
21;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
38]
2021: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against Removing President Donald
Trump From Office By Calling On Vice President Mike Pence To Invoke The
25th Amendment. In January 2021, according to Congressional Quarterly,
Fitzpatrick voted against the "motion to order the previous question
(thus ending the debate and possibility of amendment) to the rule (H Res
38) that would provide for floor consideration of the resolution (H Res
21) calling on Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment
and remove President Donald Trump from office. The rule would provide
for up to one hour of debate on the resolution and automatic adoption of
a Nadler, D-N.Y., manager's amendment that would correct language in
the findings related to the legal authority of Congress to count
electoral votes, as prescribed by section 15 of title 3 of United States
Code. It would waive the prohibition against 'personality' in debate
with respect to references to the president during debate on the
resolution or on the impeachment resolution (H Res 24) that would
impeach President Donald Trump for incitement of insurrection." The vote
was on a motion to order the previous question. The House agreed to the
motion by a vote of 219-206. [House Vote 12,
1/12/21; Congressional
Quarterly, 1/12/21;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
21;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
38]
2019: Fitzpatrick Voted Against Impeaching President Donald Trump For
Obstruction Of Congress. In December 2019, Fitzpatrick voted against
Article II of the impeachment resolution, which would, according to
Congressional Quarterly, "impeach President Donald Trump for obstruction
of Congress by defying, and instructing others not to comply with,
subpoenas issued by the House of Representatives in relation to the
House impeachment inquiry into Trump's solicitation of the government
of Ukraine. Specifically, it would state that Trump directed executive
branch agencies, offices, and officers not to cooperate with House
committees and to withhold the production of documents sought by the
committees pursuant to the impeachment inquiry. It would state that such
actions 'directed the unprecedented, categorical, and indiscriminate
defiance of subpoenas' issued pursuant to the 'sole power of
impeachment' of the House. It would state that such actions served to
'cover up the president's own repeated misconduct' and 'nullify a vital
constitutional safeguard vested solely in the House of
Representatives.'" The vote was on adoption of Article II of the
resolution. The Senate adopted the resolution and impeached the
President by a vote of 229-198. The Senate then rejected the article
thereby acquitting the President. [House Vote 696,
12/18/20; Congressional
Quarterly, 12/18/20;
Congressional Actions,
H.Res.755]
2019: Fitzpatrick Voted Against Impeaching President Donald Trump For
Abuse Of Power. In December 2019, Fitzpatrick voted against Article I
of the impeachment resolution, which would, according to Congressional
Quarterly, "impeach President Donald Trump for abuse of power by using
the powers of his office to solicit the interference of a foreign
government in the 2020 U.S. presidential election to benefit his
reelection and harm the election prospects of a political opponent.
Specifically, it would state that Trump solicited the government of
Ukraine to announce investigations into former vice president Joe Biden
and theories regarding foreign interference in the 2016 U.S.
presidential election. It would state that Trump conditioned official
actions, including the release of security assistance funds to Ukraine,
on such announcements. It would state that Trump's actions were
conducted 'for corrupt purposes in pursuit of personal political
benefit' and that such actions 'compromised the national security of the
United States and undermined the integrity of the United States
democratic process.'" The vote was on adoption of Article I of the
resolution. The Senate adopted the resolution and impeached the
President by a vote of 230-197. The Senate then rejected the article
thereby acquitting the President. [House Vote 695,
12/18/20; Congressional
Quarterly, 12/18/20;
Congressional Actions,
H.Res.755]
2019: Fitzpatrick Voted For Condemning President Trump's Racist
Comments Suggesting That Certain Members Of Congress Should "Go Back" To
Other Countries. In July 2019, Fitzpatrick voted for a resolution that
would, according to Congressional Quarterly, "express the sense of the
House of Representatives condemning President Trump's recent 'racist'
comments suggesting that certain members of Congress should 'go back' to
other countries and stating that his comments have 'legitimized and
increased fear and hatred' toward people of color and naturalized
American citizens. It would express support for policies 'keeping
America open' to individuals lawfully seeking refuge and asylum and
affirm that immigrants and their descendants have made America
stronger." The vote was on adoption. The House adopted the resolution by
a vote of 240-187. The resolution was never taken up in the Senate.
[House Vote 482,
7/16/19; Congressional
Quarterly, 7/16/19;
Congressional Actions,
H.Res.489]