What the Pa. delegation is saying (or not) about Trump impeachment inquiry
Two moderate Pa. Democrats who have been reluctant to support impeachment proceedings have taken firmer stances in recent days.
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Update: 8:10 p.m.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi has announced the House is moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump.
Pelosi made the announcement Tuesday from the speaker’s office at the Capitol saying “no one is above the law.”
Calls for an impeachment inquiry have intensified following reports that Trump may have sought a foreign government’s help in his reelection bid.
Below is a round-up of public statements (if any) made by Pennsylvania’s 18 member congressional delegation as of Tuesday evening. The responses broke along party lines.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R, PA-01
In an email to Keystone Crossroads, a Fitzpatrick spokesperson wrote: “The Congressman disfavors the mechanism of impeachment except in the most extreme of circumstances. It is an incredibly divisive process. Unless new evidence surfaces that meets this very high threshold, the Congressman is opposed to impeachment.”
Rep. Brendan Boyle, D, PA-02
For the sake of our Constitution, and for the sake of our country:
Donald Trump must be impeached, convicted in the Senate, removed from office, and face criminal trial.
— US Rep Brendan Boyle (@RepBrendanBoyle) September 21, 2019
Rep. Dwight Evans, D, PA-03
1/
Starting a formal #impeachment inquiry is necessary because we have to stop the damage Trump has been doing to our government, to our Constitution, to our democracy.https://t.co/bbT26s6usO— Dwight Evans (@RepDwightEvans) September 24, 2019
Rep. Madeleine Dean, D, PA-04
The President has betrayed his oath of office.
Our Speaker and our Caucus are united in our impeachment inquiry against the grievous wrongdoing of a President who puts himself and his personal political gain over national security and the rule of law.
— Congresswoman Madeleine Dean (@RepDean) September 24, 2019
Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon, D, PA-05
We have a constitutional duty to hold this president accountable and we must. 2/2
— Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (@RepMGS) September 24, 2019
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D, PA-06
Houlahan, who represents a swing district that comprises all of Chester County and part of Berks, had been reluctant to support impeachment proceedings. But on Monday she co-wrote an article in the Washington Post that marked a dramatic shift.
“This flagrant disregard for the law cannot stand. To uphold and defend our Constitution, Congress must determine whether the president was indeed willing to use his power and withhold security assistance funds to persuade a foreign country to assist him in an upcoming election,” Houlahan wrote with six Democratic colleagues.
Rep. Susan Wild, D, PA-07
If these allegations are true and the administration continues to withhold the whistleblower complaint at the heart of this matter, I will support an impeachment inquiry.
My statement: https://t.co/X8eL299A38 pic.twitter.com/KdL8DrHg6e
— Rep. Susan Wild (@RepSusanWild) September 24, 2019
Rep. Matt Cartwright, D, PA-08
At some point, it becomes necessary to announce certain conduct by an American president as unacceptable. There have been credible allegations this week that the President abused the power of his office, on the international stage, for his own political gain.
— Matt Cartwright (@RepCartwright) September 24, 2019
We need to get to the bottom of these serious allegations through comprehensive impeachment proceedings and document production. Whether such hearings result in actual impeachment of the president and/or senior cabinet officials remains to be seen.
— Matt Cartwright (@RepCartwright) September 24, 2019
Rep. Dan Mueser, R, PA-09
Speaker Pelosi’s impeachment inquiry announcement confirms what we have known all along: since Democrats were unable to defeat @realDonaldTrump in a lawfully conducted election, they are now focused on trying to unlawfully remove him from office. https://t.co/jXA3bqHa6S
— Congressman Dan Meuser (@RepMeuser) September 24, 2019
Rep. Scott Perry, R, PA-10
In a video posted to Twitter, York County Republican Scott Perry dismissed the whistleblower complaint Monday, saying it would “waste a lot of time” to look into it.
Hey everybody – here’s the Legislative Wrap-Up for last week. Be well… https://t.co/GsnkrJbi8c
— RepScottPerry (@RepScottPerry) September 23, 2019
Rep. Lloyd Smucker, R, PA-11
The Democrats have made clear that their partisan obstruction agenda of impeaching the President is more important than actually solving the issues the American people elected us to solve.
— Rep. Lloyd Smucker (@RepSmucker) September 24, 2019
Rep. Fred Keller, R, PA-12
Rep. Keller rejected the impeachment inquiry as a political move.
Rep. John Joyce, R, PA-13
House Democrats have proven that they prioritize endless investigations over meaningful legislation. By pursuing politically-motivated impeachment, they have chosen to squander the balance of the 116th Congress – to the detriment of the American people. https://t.co/XZJoUDEl8K
— John Joyce (@RepJohnJoyce) September 24, 2019
Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R, PA-14
— Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (@GReschenthaler) September 24, 2019
Rep. Glenn Thompson, R, PA-15
No public release on twitter or official website.
Rep. Mike Kelly, R, PA-16
No public release on twitter or official website.
Rep. Conor Lamb, D, PA-17
Rep. Conor Lamb, a Democrat who represents a Western Pa. district thought to be more favorable to Republicans, sent tweets Monday and Tuesday demanding more facts.
We cannot allow even the possibility to exist that our President used the immense power of that office to protect his own selfish interests, rather than to protect the American people. #PA17 https://t.co/1mFXC22SId pic.twitter.com/awHGlDESsi
— Conor Lamb (@RepConorLamb) September 23, 2019
As I said yesterday, we need to get the full text of the whistleblower complaint by Thursday, not just the transcript of one phone call.
It appears that we will learn more facts in the coming days, and I’ll have more to say after that.
— Conor Lamb (@RepConorLamb) September 24, 2019
Rep. Mike Doyle, D, PA-18
The allegations in the whistleblower report about President Trump’s calls with Ukraine are mind-boggling. I called for an impeachment inquiry a few months ago, and I’m glad that many of my colleagues have now joined me in pushing for this important action. https://t.co/u8gEAhGgyS pic.twitter.com/Nq6kdTIgSL
— Mike Doyle (@USRepMikeDoyle) September 24, 2019
—
Laura Benshoff and WITF’s Brett Sholtis contributed reporting.
This story will be updated as additional members of the Pa. delegation offer public statements on the House Democrats impeachment inquiry.
WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.
Brought to you by Keystone Crossroads
Keystone Crossroads
Exploring the stories that matter across the commonwealth with all Pennsylvanians in mind.
Judge orders Bucks County to extend mail ballot deadline following Trump legal challenge
Bucks County voters can now request mail ballots and access on-demand mail voting at the county’s three voter services offices until close of business Friday.
4 days ago
Listen 1:17
Trump says his New York rally marked by crude and racist insults was ‘an absolute lovefest’
He was joined Tuesday night at a rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania, by Puerto Rico's shadow U.S. senator, who defended him.
5 days ago
Election threats persist 4 years after far-right extremists stormed the U.S. Capitol
American University professor Kurt Braddock says many of Donald Trump's supporters have doubled down on electoral conspiracy theories since the Jan. 6 siege.
5 days ago