Late Tuesday afternoon, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced the House would begin an official impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.
The inquiry centers around a phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The question at hand is whether or not Trump withheld funding to Ukraine as a way to pressure the country to investigate Joe Biden and his son Hunter’s business dealings there.
Members of Georgia’s congressional delegation were quick to react to the news, and their reactions formed a familiar and predictable pattern. Democrats favor impeachment, republicans don’t. Here are the reactions from your members of Congress.
District 1 U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter:
Carter is a republican who represents coastal Georgia.
District 2 U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop:
“Our republic was founded on the belief that the nation’s leader should not be above the law. As such, the President is subject to checks and balances, established by the Constitution. The allegations that the President withheld Congressionally appropriated taxpayer dollars for national security as leverage against a foreign power to pursue unfounded allegations against a political opponent at home are extremely alarming. Taken with the Mueller report and the facts discovered by the other ongoing Committee investigations, we have reached a point where Congress must move forward with an impeachment inquiry.
“The President has admitted publicly to asking the Ukraine President to investigate Hunter Biden and has instructed his Director of National Intelligence to withhold the whistleblower’s complaint from Congress, which is illegal. The rule of law cannot allow any President to extort a foreign government to make up dirt on a political opponent.”
Sanford is a democrat who represents the southwestern portion of Georgia.
District 4 U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson:
“President Trump’s recent admission that he discussed with President Zelensky his desire that Ukraine open a corruption investigation against former Vice President Joe Biden is profoundly troubling. Attempting to coerce a foreign government into digging up dirt on a political opponent, then trying to cover it up by unlawfully refusing to turn over the whistleblower complaint to Congress, crosses a red line. President Trump’s repeated obstruction and flagrant disregard of his oath of office demands the issuance of Articles of Impeachment.”
Johnson is a democrat who represents DeKalb and Rockdale Counties.
District 5 U.S. Rep. John Lewis:
Lewis responded in a floor speech in the House of representatives. An excerpt is below followed by a video.
“I have been patient while we tried every other path and used every other tool.
“We will never find the truth unless we use the power given to the House of Representatives — and the House alone — to begin an official investigation as dictated by the Constitution.
“The future of our democracy is at stake. There comes a time when you have to be moved by the spirit of history to take action to protect and preserve the integrity of our union.”
Lewis is a democrat who represents Atlanta, South Fulton County and part of DeKalb County.
District 8 U.S. Rep. Austin Scott:
“Unfortunately, Speaker Pelosi has succumbed to the belligerent left and their media allies to move forward with an impeachment inquiry against the President. Democrats continue to waste time and taxpayer dollars on endless investigations while refusing to address the many challenges our nation faces.”
Scott is a republican who represents South and middle Georgia.
District 9 U.S. Rep. Doug Collins:
Collins is a republican who represents Northeast Georgia.
District 10 U.S. Rep. Jody Hice:
“In their obsession to nullify the will of the people and overturn the results of the 2016 election, Democrats have become experts at hurling accusations before all the facts come out.
“Since before he was even elected, Democrats and their allies in the media have been dead set on resisting President Trump and have dedicated their entire arsenal of untold resources to undermining his agenda.
“The abrupt and absurd decision by Speaker Pelosi to formally begin impeachment proceedings without waiting for a single piece of evidence is a dramatic overstep to distract from the real issues that matter to the American people.
“The simple fact that Speaker Pelosi could not be bothered to wait a mere 24 hours, when the President has said he would release the call’s transcript, indicates just how desperate and misguided the Left has become.”
Hice is a republican who represents a district in East Georgia that spans from Gwinnett County to Columbia County.
District 12 U.S. Rep. Rick Allen
“Since the day President Trump was elected to office, Democrats have tried to find any opportunity to undermine his presidency. In this most recent attempt, they made accusations before any facts were presented.
“It’s unfortunate that Speaker Pelosi has caved to the far left-wing faction of their conference, despite President Trump offering full transparency.
“I urge my Democratic colleagues to stop grasping for straws, end this partisan impeachment process, and instead start focusing on delivering results for the American people.”
Allen is a republican who represents East Georgia.
District 13 U.S. Rep. David Scott:
“This Ukraine development weighs very heavily, and is very concerning to me. As such, I believe it is time now to open an inquiry for impeachment. We have got to get the facts. We need to know what was said on Trump’s call with the president of Ukraine and what information was provided by the whistleblower about the President’s dealing with Ukraine. And while a basic tenet in our democracy is that you are innocent until proven guilty, no one is above the law. So, it is time for us to open an impeachment inquiry so that we can make an intelligent and forthright decision on impeachment. There are national security implications to the President’s actions here. But moreover, Congress must exercise its duties as a co-equal branch of government to preserve the checks and balances laid out in the Constitution.”
Scott is a democrat who represents parts of Cobb, Douglas, Fulton, Clayton, Henry and Fayette Counties.
District 14 U.S. Rep. Tom Graves:
“Based on a report they have never seen, about a conversation they never heard, from a person they have never met, the Speaker and her following have decided to drag our country into a mess. The consequences will be severe. Our legislative process will grind to a halt and economic progress will be put at risk. Instead of tackling issues like immigration, infrastructure and trade, our country will be stuck in the grip of leftist hysteria once again. The reckless pursuit of impeachment simply hurts our country and nobody wins.”
Graves is a republican who represents Northwest Georgia.
What do you think? Is an impeachment inquiry necessary, or is it too far. Share your thoughts by clicking here.
