December 19, 2019 4:10 a.m.
Members of Oregon’s Congressional delegation are reacting to Wednesday’s impeachment of President Donald Trump.
Senator Ron Wyden said “A senator has no weightier responsibility than to judge a president impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors. As a juror in impeachment proceedings, I intend to look at all the evidence and vote for a just outcome, not a political one”.
Senator Jeff Merkley commented “The House presented a compelling case that the president solicited foreign interference in the 2020 election, that he conditioned official actions on this interference, and that he used the power of the office to advance his own interest instead of the public interest”.
Fourth District Congressman Peter DeFazio voted in favor of both articles of impeachment. Ahead of the vote, DeFazio said “today is a dark day for both our country and our representative democracy”. DeFazio said the case is clear-cut: “President Trump has violated his office and betrayed our Constitution and the American people”.
The lone Republican in Oregon’s delegation, Congressman Greg Walden, said with a clear conscience he was voting against both articles of impeachment. Walden said “President Trump is doing exactly what he promised, and that includes violating the political norms of the Washington, D.C. swamp. And for that, the left wants to send him packing”.
The House voted 230-197 to charge President Trump with abuse of power, and 229-198 to charge him with obstruction of Congress. A trial in the Senate will follow.