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CNN Live Event/Special
The 2nd Trump Impeachment Vote; Now: House Debating Article of Impeachment. Aired 3-3:30p ET.
Aired January 13, 2021 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
REP. MARK TAKANO (D-CA): He is toxic to our republic and toxic to our democracy. I yield back.
SPEAKER: The gentleman yields back. The gentleman from New York wishes to reserve. The gentleman from Ohio is recognized.
[15:00:00]
REP. JIM JORDAN (R-OH): Thank you, Madam Speaker. So, Democrats can say and I quote, "I just don't even know why there aren't uprisings all over the country". While there are uprisings happening around the country but they impeach the President of the United States for saying peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.
Democrats can say quote, "you know there needs to be unrest in the streets," while there is unrest in the streets but they're going to impeach the President for saying "peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard." Let's be consistent, all of us, all of us need to be consistent and condemn the violence all the time and with that I yield one minute to the gentlelady from New Mexico.
SPEAKER: The gentlewoman from New Mexico is recognized for one minute.
REP. YVETTE HERRELL (R-NM): Thank you Madam Speaker. I rise in opposition to these articles of impeachment. Political violence has no place in our Constitutional Republic and those who assaulted police officers and forced their way into the Capitol are responsible for their criminal actions.
Leaders in both parties have a responsibility to condemn such violence whether in the halls of Congress or on the streets of America. I don't believe, Madam Speaker, that the American people have an appetite for this.
They are expecting us to do the will, the will of them, those who sent us from each state around the nation. Right now, Madam Speaker, we've seen this - this body impeach once before, trying to do it a second time. Two wrongs do not make a right.
We have got to stand for the American people because we will not get a second chance to get this right the first time.
Madam Speaker I yield back.
SPEAKER: The gentlewoman yields back. The gentleman from Ohio wishes to reserve.
JORDAN: We do, thank you Madam Speaker.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from New York is recognized.
REP. JERROLD NADLER (D-NY): Madam Speaker I now yield 30 seconds to a new member, the distinguished gentleman from New York, Mr. Torres.
SPEAKER: Gentleman from New York is recognized for 30 seconds.
REP. RICHIE TORRES (D-NY): Madam Speaker the dangerous mob that Donald Trump unleashed on the United States Capitol represents a violent assault on the separation of powers and on the peaceful transfer of power that we have long taken for granted.
The impeachment of Donald Trump is not politics but law, not passion but reason, not vengeance but justice and we as the people's Representatives must rise to the challenge of defending democracy in the face of its gravest threat and we will.
I yield back.
SPEAKER: The gentleman yields back. The gentleman from New York reserves. The gentleman from Ohio is recognized.
JORDAN: Thank you Madam Speaker, we reserve.
SPEAKER: Gentleman from Ohio reserves. The gentleman from New York is recognized.
NADLER: Madam Speaker I now yield 30 seconds to distinguished gentlelady from Massachusetts, Ms. Trahan.
SPEAKER: The gentlewoman from Massachusetts is recognized for 30 seconds.
REP. LORI TRAHAN (D-MA): Madam Speaker I stand before you today in disbelief, disbelief that after the President incited a violent mob to commit an act of insurrection and remain silent as police officers were assaulted, the Capitol was ransacked and members of this body fled for their lives.
That there are still members of his party who refuse to hold him accountable. It's because of that inaction that there's only path forward to put an end to this Presidency. Donald Trump must be impeached, removed from office, and barred from ever holding the Office of the Presidency again.
Thank you Madam Speaker, I yield back.
SPEAKER: The gentlewoman yields back. The gentleman from New York reserves his time. The gentleman from Ohio is recognized.
JORDAN: Thank you Madam Speaker, we reserve.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from Ohio reserves his time. The gentleman from New York is recognized.
NADLER: Madam Speaker I now yield 30 seconds to the gentlelady from New York, Ms. Velazquez.
SPEAKER: The gentlewoman from New York is recognized for 30 seconds.
REP. NYDIA M. VELAZQUEZ (D-NY): Madam Speaker I rise in support of this resolution because in America we hold power to account. In America we do not succumb to violent insurrections incited by a Head of State.
In America we do not turn a blind eye to high crimes and misdemeanor. No, that is not who we are. So, today as a sworn defender of this nations Constitution I will vote in favor of impeaching Donald J. Trump.
I yield back.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from New York reserves. The gentleman from Ohio is recognized.
JORDAN: Thank you Madam Speaker, can I get - inquire the time remaining for each side?
SPEAKER: The gentleman has 10 minutes remaining and the gentleman for New York has nine and three quarters time remaining. The gentleman from Ohio is recognized.
JORDAN: I thank you Madam Speaker. I would yield one minute to the gentleman from California, Mr. LaMalfa.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from California is recognized for one minute.
REP. DOUG LAMALFA (R-CA): Ladies and gentleman, welcome to the second annual impeachment show extravaganza brought to you by the censors of left-wing media, the fact check ministers of shut down and big tech and the democrat party.
Today, the second annual impeachment of President Trump isn't really about actual words spoken at a rally, no, this is all about Madam Speaker the unbridled hatred of this President.
[15:05:08]
You use any extreme language in any process to oppose the core of what he has really fought for.
You hate him because he is pro-life, strongest ever, you hate him for fighting for the freedoms of religion to not be persecuted by unfair mandates and limitations on speech, you hate him for not subscribing the sacrilegious (ph) with the religion of climate change and one sided Paris Accords, you hate him for Israel, you hate him for defending our borders, you hate him for letting families and small businesses keep what they earn for trying to keep the agents of government off their back, you hate him for putting America first which is what I thought we'd do when we swear the oath.
No, this shabby show (ph) wasn't about a threat to our Republic, this is the impeachment and muting of at least half of the American people. This is shameful and abuse of a process.
SPEAKER: Gentleman's time has expired. The gentleman from New York.
JORDAN: I give the gentleman an additional 20 seconds.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from Ohio yields you another 20 seconds.
LAMALFA: Madam Speaker, I pray people of all strips wake up to this spectacle and exercise their rights to put a stop to it through free speech and through fair elections.
I yield back.
SPEAKER: The gentleman yields back his time. The gentleman from Ohio wishes to reserve. The gentleman from New York is recognized.
NADLER: Madam Speaker I now yield 30 seconds to the gentlelady from Florida, Ms. Wasserman Schultz.
SPEAKER: The gentleman (ph) from Florida is recognized for 30 seconds.
REP. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (D-FL): Thank you Madam Speaker. I rise to support the impeachment of Donald J. Trump for seditious acts against America. To overturn the 2020 Presidential Election Trump incited a violent assault on Congress, a treasonous betrayal of our nation.
This criminal incitement left us with five dead, including a police officer, a desecrated Capitol and a second constitutional crisis. His acts so showed contempt for the rule of law, the constitution, and the foundation of any democracy, a peaceful transition of power. President Trump is a clear and present danger to American lives and democracy and he leaves us no choice but to immediately remove him from office.
Thank you, I yield back.
SPEAKER: The gentlewoman yields back. The gentleman from New York reserves. The gentleman from Ohio--
JORDAN: Thank you Madam--
SPEAKER: --is recognized.
JORDAN: Yes, thank you Madam Speaker. I would yield 90 seconds to the gentlelady from Tennessee, Ms. Harshbarger.
SPEAKER: The gentlewoman from Tennessee is yielded 90 seconds.
REP. DIANA HARSHBARGER (R-TN): Thank you Madam Speaker. I urge my colleagues to vote against impeachment of our sitting President, Donald J. Trump. You can tell the American people that this is a vote to impeach upon the grounds of inciting violence and insurrection but the American people see a double standard.
They see a standard implied to those on the left who commit violence and they see a standard to those applied to the right who commit violence. The American people see this and they understand it.
I've been here all of one week and what I see instead of lawmakers who are truth seekers, I see lawmakers who are power seekers and that's never good, never good. What a shame, what a shame. The American people are watching to see how their elected officials respond at this moment in history.
Will you vote to mend or will you vote to further divide this country? I'm urging you to use this opportunity to be the leaders the American people are seeking for, for such a time as this. God help us as a nation and I pray that God will keep his hand upon the greatest nation that the world has ever seen.
I yield back.
SPEAKER: The gentlewoman yields back. The gentleman from Ohio wishes to reserve his time.
JORDAN: We do ma'am.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from New York is recognized.
NADLER: Madam Speaker, how much time do we have please?
SPEAKER: Gentleman from New York has nine and one quarter minute and Ohio has eight minutes, the gentleman from Ohio, eight minutes.
NADLER: Thank you.
SPEAKER: Gentleman from New York.
NADLER: Madam Speaker I now yield 30 seconds to distinguished gentleman from North Carolina, Mr. Butterfield.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from North Carolina is recognized for 30 seconds.
REP. G.K. BUTTERFIELD (D-NC): Madam Speaker, President Trump's incitement to violently overturn the results of a free and fair election is an attack on our rule of law. Any President, any member of Congress who obstructs the electoral college, who attacks judges and the court system where there's no evidence to support their contentions undermines the publics trust and confidence in the judicial process.
How do my Republican colleagues expect ordinary citizens to respect and trust the courts in civil and criminal matters all across this country? Think about that as you make this decision, vote yes on--
SPEAKER: The gentleman's time is expired. BUTTERFIELD: --on the article of impeachment.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from New York wishes to reserve. The gentleman from Ohio is recognized.
JORDAN: Madam Speaker we reserve.
SPEAKER: Gentleman from Ohio reserves. The gentleman from New York is recognized.
NADLER: Madam Speaker I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished gentlelady from California, Ms. Roybal-Allard.
SPEAKER: The gentlewoman from California is recognized for 30 seconds.
[15:10:00]
REP. LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD (D-CA): Madam Speaker I take no joy in voting to impeach President Trump but this President has blood on his hands in the wake of this attempted coup. The fact remains no President of the United States is above the law. And this president has sadly violated his oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
As members of Congress who have taken that same pledge, it is our duty to take this action and impeach this unfit and dangerous president.
I yield back.
SPEAKER: Gentlewoman's time is expired. The gentleman from New York wishes to reserve.
The gentleman from Ohio is recognized.
JORDAN: Madam -- Madam Speaker, we reserve.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from Ohio wishes to reserve.
The gentleman from New York is recognized.
NADLER: Madam Speaker, I now yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from California, Mr. Khanna.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from California is recognized for 30 seconds.
REP. RO KHANNA (D-CA): I'm voting to impeach because, as Lincoln said, "No grievance is a fit object of redress by mob law."
But we must recognize that our hard work we'll begin is to address the real grievances and despair in left-behind communities. To be worthy of this Capitol that we hold sacred, to fix our broken communities let's finally commit to investing trillions in creating good jobs in health care, in education and infrastructure for communities and places that are hurting.
SPEAKER: The gentleman yields back. The gentleman from New York reserves.
The gentleman from Ohio is recognized.
JORDAN: Thank you, Madam Speaker. We reserve.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from Ohio wishes to reserve.
The gentleman from New York is recognized.
NADLER: Madam Speaker, I now yield 30 seconds to the distinguished gentlelady from Alabama, Ms. Sewell.
SPEAKER: The gentlewoman -- Ms. Sewell, is recognized for 30 seconds.
REP. TERRI SEWELL (D-AL): Madam Speaker, I rise today to support impeachment. I do so with a heavy heart and a lasting and searing memory of being in this gallery -- the People's House -- right up there, fearing for my life.
And why? Because the president of the United States incited others to be violent, a mob of insurgencies in this House -- it's unacceptable. It led to the killing of five Americans. Blood is on this House.
We must do something about it. I ask that we move from stopping the steal to healing. But healing requires accountability, and everyone must be accountable for the attack (ph)--
SPEAKER: Gentlewoman's time is expired--
SEWELL: -- I will be voting to impeach and I ask all others--
(CROSSTALK)
SPEAKER: -- The gentleman from New York wishes to reserve--
SEWELL: -- throughout (ph) this democracy to vote for impeachment.
SPEAKER: -- The gentleman from New York wishes to reserve?
NADLER: Reserve.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from Ohio is recognized.
JORDAN: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would yield one minute to the gentleman from Alabama, Mr. Moore.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from Alabama is recognized for one minute.
REP. BARRY MOORE (R-AL): Madam Speaker, I'm fairly new here -- actually, this is my first floor speech -- but I rise to oppose this impeachment. You know, I asked my staff this morning, I said, how many times in our nation's history have we impeached a president?
Well, they said, up until this president, only two times in our nation's history. So here we are, seven days left in his first term. And we're going to impeach a president for what reasons -- for what reasons? There have been no hearings. There have been no committees. We must defend the right and protect the process of impeachment. If we pursue this, from now on from this day forward, impeachment will always be a political process.
I ask my friends across the aisle -- they always talk about healing, healing -- how do we come together as a nation? Since 2016, there has been hashtags going around in our nation that said: #NotOurPresident, #ResistResist.
Members across the aisle have said things in public to have supporters of this president attacked and demeaned.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
SPEAKER: The Gentleman from Ohio wishes to reserve?
JORDAN: (OFF-MIKE) Yes.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from New York is recognized.
NADLER: Madam Speaker, I now yield 30 seconds to the distinguished gentlelady from Illinois, Ms. Schakowsky.
SPEAKER: The gentlewoman from Illinois is recognized for 30 seconds.
REP. JAN SCHAKOWSKY (D-IL): Last Friday, I sent a letter to my constituents telling the story about the violent attack on our -- on our Capitol Building, which is really like the temple of our democracy.
I have now taken the oath of office -- the same oath of office that the president of the United States has taken, that all of us here have taken. And he has been the orchestrator of this attack. It is time to hold this president accountable. It is time and history demands that we impeach Donald Trump--
SPEAKER: The gentlewoman's time has expired.
SCHAKOWSKY: -- for the second time.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from New York wishes to reserve?
NADLER: (OFF-MIKE)
SPEAKER: The gentleman from Ohio is recognized.
JORDAN: Thank you, Madam Speaker. We -- we would reserve.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from Ohio reserves.
The gentleman from New York is recognized.
NADLER: Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Connecticut, Mr. Himes.
[15:15:01]
SPEAKER: The gentleman from Connecticut is recognized for 30 seconds.
REP. JIM HIMES (D-CT): The words have almost all been said. Search your soul. Consider your oath. And I add four more words, reflect on your legacy.
My friends, which way is history flowing right now? Will Donald Trump join the pantheon of Washington, Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Reagan or will his 33 percent approval ratings and the condemnation of principled Republicans consign him to the heap of reviled demagogues with Joseph McCarthy and Andrew Johnson? Where he goes in history, you go in history -- unless, today, you make a stand.
I yield back.
SPEAKER: (OFF-MIKE) The gentleman yields back. I would like to remind members to please direct the remarks to the chair. The gentleman from New York reserves.
The gentleman from Ohio is recognized.
JORDAN: Thank you, Madam Speaker. We reserve.
SPEAKER: The gentleman reserves.
The gentleman from New York is recognized.
NADLER: Madam Speaker, I now yield 30 seconds to the distinguished gentleman from Hawaii, Mr. Kahele.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from Hawaii is recognized for 30 seconds.
REP. KAI KAHELE (D-HI): Madam Speaker, as a member of our armed forces and now a member of Congress, I have taken and given the oath of office many times. I will support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
On January 6th, the president violated this oath, inciting violent and deadly insurrection. Our sacred oaths are hollow without accountability. We must hold this president accountable and remove him from office, ensure he can never hold public office again. I urge my colleagues to do the same. This oath has to matter.
Mahalo. And I yield back.
SPEAKER: (OFF-MIKE) The gentleman yields back. The gentleman from New York reserves.
The gentleman from Ohio is recognized.
JORDAN: (OFF-MIKE) We reserve.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from Ohio reserves. The gentleman from New York is recognized.
NADLER: I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished gentleman from Maryland, Mr. Sarbanes.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from Maryland is recognized for 30 seconds.
REP. JOHN SARBANES (D-MD): Madam Speaker, this beautiful Capitol dome is a symbol of freedom and democracy, not just for Americans but for people the world over.
The action we take today, this impeachment, is a declaration to the world that when there is an attack on our democracy -- whether it comes from without or whether, tragically in this instance, it comes from within -- we will respond to that threat and attack and we will do what's necessary to strengthen our democracy.
I yield back.
SPEAKER: The gentleman yields back. The gentleman from New York wishes to reserve.
The gentleman from Ohio is recognized.
JORDAN: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I yield two and a half minutes to the distinguished gentleman from New York, Mr. Zeldin.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from New York is recognized for two and a half minutes.
REP. LEE ZELDIN (R-NY): Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'm sickened and angered by what we all had to witness last Wednesday. And call for the investigation and prosecution to the fullest extent of the law, every single person who participated in the violence and loss of life in this Capitol Building last Wednesday.
I, as a member, sit here listening to the entire debate, desperately need to better understand the two standards that are at play in this House. Why is it OK if a House Democrat calls for violence in the streets, but not if you're a Republican?
Why can a House Democrat be rewarded with a gavel and a chairmanship if they're calling for physical confrontation of a Trump administration official, but they will be punished if they're a Republican?
The double standards that we have seen time and time again, we all -- I need to better understand what the rules are of this House. Why is it that a committee chairman can lie to the American public about having more than circumstantial evidence that the president colluded with the Russians in order to win the 2016 election, but, of course, the Republicans can't and wouldn't lie to the American public about something like that?
We need to better understand what these two standards are that are at play. And to complete the record -- because the House Democrats are here to make President Trump the first president to be impeached twice, so I'll complete the record.
First off, in the articles of impeachment, it's written that the president gave a speech and he told his supporters to come here and that he incited this riot. And one speaker after another, after another, here on the other side of the aisle, have repeated that in the article of impeachment.
But we all know that this was a pre-planned attack. We all know that there was pipe bombs being discovered while the president was speaking. We all know that the Capitol perimeter was being breached during the president's speech.
[15:20:00]
We know that this was pre-planned and it started while the president was speaking. Why is that not in the articles of impeachment? Why is it not being incorporated into my colleagues' remarks?
To complete the record, if you want to make the president the first president to be impeached twice, well, we'll add something else to that. Thank you to the president for his efforts to defeat MS-13 in my district or to withdraw from the--
I request 30 more seconds?
SPEAKER: The gentleman yields an additional 30 seconds, did I hear correct?
JORDAN: Thirty seconds, yes.
SPEAKER: The gentleman has another 30 seconds.
ZELDIN: Thank you to the president for his efforts to move the embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights and to take out Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and Qasem Soleimani to eliminate the ISIS caliphate, to enter into the historic Abraham Accords, to have an economy, this time last year, that was stronger than I ever remember in my entire lifetime.
Yeah, we'll complete the record. And in all fairness, as the president leaves one week from today ,let's be honest about the double standards that exist inside of this chamber and let's also be honest that this president--
SPEAKER: -- expired.
ZELDIN: -- did a lot to make America greater than ever.
SPEAKER: The gentleman's time has expired.
ZELDIN: I yield back.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from Ohio wishes to reserve?
JORDAN: I do, thank you, Madam Speaker.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from New York is recognized.
NADLER: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I now yield one minute to the distinguished -- I now yield 30 seconds to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois, Mr. Casten.
REP. SEAN CASTEN (D-IL): What happens if we--
(CROSSTALK)
SPEAKER: The gentleman is recognized for 30 seconds.
CASTEN: What happens if we get this wrong is written in Lincoln's second inaugural, when one party would make war rather than let the nation survive. On December 7th, on September 11th, we came together against an enemy from without.
But on January 6th, we were attacked by an enemy from within, the president who would make war with malice for all and charity for none. We must come together in unity today, against that domestic threat to our Constitution. The alternative is too unbearable to contemplate. We must impeach, bipartisanly, unanimously, if you have--
(CROSSTALK)
SPEAKER: -- expired.
CASTEN: -- the soul.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from New York wishes to reserve.
The gentleman from Ohio is recognized.
JORDAN: Madam Speaker, we reserve.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from Ohio reserves.
The gentleman from New York?
NADLER: Madam Speaker, I now yield 30 seconds to the distinguished gentlelady from Texas, Ms. Fletcher.
SPEAKER: The gentlewoman from Texas is recognized for 30 seconds.
REP. LIZZIE FLETCHER (D-TX): Thank you, Madam Speaker.
I rise today in support of the article of impeachment, and in opposition to the gaslighting that is masquerading as debate in this chamber today.
I was in this chamber when the president assembled and unleashed a mob to attack the United States Capitol and the United States Congress, the elected representatives of the people. By doing so, he incited an insurrection against our representative democracy itself. If that is not an impeachable offense, then what is?
Thank you, Madam Speaker, I yield back. SPEAKER: The gentlewoman yields back. The gentleman from New York reserves.
The gentleman from Ohio is recognized.
JORDAN: Madam Speaker, we reserve.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from Ohio wishes to reserve.
The gentleman from New York is recognized.
NADLER: I now yield 30 seconds to the distinguished gentlelady from Michigan, Ms. Tlaib.
SPEAKER: The gentlewoman from Michigan is recognized for 30 seconds.
REP. RASHIDA TLAIB (D-MI): Thank you, Madam Chair.
In Michigan's 13th, we proudly speak truth to power, even in the face of a racist-in-chief. Those who incited an attack on the People's House do not get to talk about healing and unity. They have torn this country apart. They have stoked the fire and then handed the gasoline to Donald Trump.
Dr. King once said, "True peace is not merely the absence of tension, it is in the presence of justice." Today, we must embody those words and we must understand that peace must be centered in truth and action. We cannot sit, Madam Chair, sit idly by after a violent attempted coup and allow lies and hate to continue.
Today, we stand up for our constituents who continue to be harmed by the--
(CROSSTALK)
SPEAKER: -- wishes to reserve.
TLAIB: -- and vicious (inaudible) today (ph) we impeach (ph)--
SPEAKER: The gentlewoman's time has expired.
TLAIB: -- Donald Trump.
SPEAKER: The gentlewoman's time is expired. The gentleman from New York wishes to reserve.
And the gentleman from New York has three and three-quarter minutes remaining. (inaudible) from Ohio has four.
And the gentleman from Ohio is recognized.
JORDAN: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I yield one minute to the gentleman from North Dakota, Mr. Armstrong.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from North Dakota is recognized for one minute.
REP. KELLY ARMSTRONG (R-ND): Thank you, Madam Speaker.
What happened last Wednesday is an absolute tragedy, and not only are we part of dealing with it now, we were part of it then. But when emotions are frayed and tensions are this high, process matters more. It matters more now than it did before.
And the reality is this: There are serious constitutional questions about those articles.
[15:25:02]
And Donald Trump is going to be president until January 20th. And on January 20th, Joe Biden's going to become president.
But I'll end with this: I'm going to vote against impeachment, and that's going to give me credibility at home with my base. You're going to vote for impeachment, and that's going to give you credibility at home with your base.
It's easy to point at me and blame me, it's easy for me to point at you and blame you. But on January 21st, we're all going to be back here. So use that credibility, go back and talk some hard truths to your people. I'm going to do it, and we need to do a better job.
And with that, I yield back.
SPEAKER: The gentleman yields back. The gentleman from New York reserves. The -- excuse me, the gentleman from Ohio reserves.
The gentleman from New York?
NADLER: Madam Speaker, I now yield 30 seconds to the gentlelady from North Carolina, Ms. Manning.
SPEAKER: The gentlewoman from North Carolina is recognized for 30 seconds.
REP. KATHY MANNING (D-NC): Madam Speaker, this president has repeatedly lied to the American people about his election loss. He incited his followers to attack our democracy, resulting in five deaths. His dangerous efforts to derail the peaceful transition of power were a violation of his oath of office. This president is unfit to lead our nation, and unable to discharge his duties of office.
I call upon my Republican colleagues to speak the truth to their supporters, and join me in holding President Trump accountable by voting to impeach.
I yield.
SPEAKER: (inaudible) New York reserves.
The gentleman from Ohio is recognized.
JORDAN: Thank you, Madam Speaker. We reserve.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from Ohio reserves.
The gentleman from New York is recognized.
NADLER: Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Indiana, Mr. Mrvan.
SPEAKER: I didn't hear (inaudible).
The gentleman from Indiana is recognized for 30 seconds.
REP. FRANK MRVAN (D-IN): Madam Speaker, since the events on January 6th, I spoke with a group of ministers from Gary, Indiana, and they told me how they are praying for unity and justice in our nation.
It reminded me of the moment when those of us who were on the House floor on January 6th were huddled together in a secure room after the attack. The House chaplain, Kibben, led us all in prayer. Let us remember that moment, let us rekindle that prayer, for those three minutes, when we were all united to preserve our democracy and justice.
I support the article of impeachment so that we can move forward to do the work that our constituents sent us here to do. With that, I yield back.
SPEAKER: -- has expired. The gentleman from New York reserves.
The gentleman from New York has two and three-quarters minutes remaining, the gentleman from Ohio has three.
The gentleman from Ohio is recognized.
JORDAN: Madam Speaker, we reserve.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from Ohio reserves.
The gentleman from New York is recognized.
NADLER: Madam Speaker, I now yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Massachusetts Mr. Moulton.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from Massachusetts is recognized for 30 seconds.
REP. SETH MOULTON (D-MA): Madam Speaker, there are more troops right now in Washington, D.C. than in Afghanistan. And they are here to defend us against the commander in chief, the president of the United States and his mob.
I would ask my colleagues to look at the faces of those young Americans, defending democracy, defending us, and find an ounce of their courage to do the right thing, as several Republicans have, and take a tough vote for the future of democracy, for the future of our country.
SPEAKER: The gentleman's time has expired. The gentleman from New York wishes to reserve?
NADLER: Reserve.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from Ohio is recognized.
JORDAN: Madam Speaker, we reserve.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from Ohio wishes to reserve.
The gentleman from New York is recognized.
NADLER: Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Texas Mr. Veasey.
SPEAKER: The gentleman from Texas is recognized for 30 seconds.
REP. MARC VEASEY (D-TX): Madam Speaker, let's be clear about one thing. If we were on the eve of a Republican president being sworn in and his Democratic predecessor had said the same thing that this president said, and incited his followers, his mob to descend upon the Capitol, we would be joining them, not making comparisons.
Because, guess what, I don't care about no base, I care about this democracy and this country. And what happened the other day should never happen again and we need to stand up and say -- and do the right thing.
SPEAKER: The gentleman's time has expired. The gentleman from New York reserves.
The gentleman from Ohio is recognized.
JORDAN: Madam Speaker, the Republican whip is prepared to close for us whenever that is appropriate, so we'll reserve until that's time.
SPEAKER: The gentleman reserves.
The gentleman from (ph) New (ph) York (ph)?
(CROSSTALK)
NADLER: Madam Speaker, I now yield -- I now yield 30 seconds to the gentlelady from Texas, Ms. Jackson Lee.
