2021: Schweikert 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, Schweikert 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: Schweikert Effectively Voted Against Impeaching President Trump For Incitement Of Insurrection. In January 2021, according to Congressional Quarterly, Schweikert 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: Schweikert Effectively Voted Against Impeaching President Trump For Incitement Of Insurrection. In January 2021, according to Congressional Quarterly, Schweikert 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: Schweikert 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, Schweikert 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: Schweikert 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, Schweikert 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: Schweikert 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, Schweikert 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: Schweikert Voted Against Impeaching President Donald Trump For Obstruction Of Congress. In December 2019, Schweikert 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: Schweikert Voted Against Impeaching President Donald Trump For Abuse Of Power. In December 2019, Schweikert 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: Schweikert Voted Against Condemning President Trump's Racist Comments Suggesting That Certain Members Of Congress Should "Go Back" To Other Countries. In July 2019, Schweikert voted against 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]