Washington, D.C.—Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) today released the following statement after voting against the impeachment of President Donald J. Trump:
“Last week, as my staff and I remained in lockdown while a mob terrorized our nation’s Capitol, I became increasingly outraged and saddened that our great country was so devastatingly divided. Our Capitol was overrun with violence and it angered me deeply.
“While the President was wrong to not concede and bears much responsibility for what happened on January 6, he did commit last week to an orderly transition of power on January 20, which is less than a week away. As a veteran and Congressman, I took an oath to support and defend the Constitution. My votes against impeachment charges for the President, against using the 25th Amendment to force the President to leave, and acceptance of the electoral college vote all reflect that.
“Section 4 of Article II of the Constitution states that a President shall be removed from office upon an impeachment conviction. Removal from office is a consequence of an impeachment conviction, and the President will already be out of office by the time the Senate takes up impeachment hearings. Further, this impeachment was done without a single hearing, which is not the due process we honor in our country. Finally, the decision by the Speaker to impeach a week prior to the inauguration will only exacerbate the divide we have and further inflame the passions. We need to put cold water on the fire, not more fuel. I supported a censure that would have had more bipartisan support and would have helped the Biden transition get a better start. Now, the Senate will have to focus on an impeachment on a President that has already left, and not be focused on the requirements of a new Administration.
“Now is the time to come together and heal our country as we begin a new session and welcome a new Administration into the White House. After months of political dysfunction, we need less hyper-partisanship and more civility.”
