HOW THEY VOTED– President Donald Trump has been impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives over the violent siege of the Capitol last week. He is the only president to be twice impeached. Trump faced a single charge “incitement of insurrection” The vote was 232 for impeachment, 197 against . 10 Republicans joined Democrats and voted for impeachment. Louisiana has six Representatives in the U.S. House, one seat is vacant due to the death of Republican-Congressman-elect Luke Letlow who recently died from Covid-19 complications. All four Louisiana Republicans voted against impeachment. The lone Democrat Cedric Richmond Louisiana’s 2nd District voted in favor of impeachment, during his final floor speech Richmond had this to say about impeaching the president.
"This is not a rush to judgement, it's a rush to justice," Richmond said. "And the longer we wait, the more time we allow for this president to do irrepairable harm to our country and our democracy."
"... the longer we wait, the more time we allow for this president to do irrepairable harm to our country and our democracy." Rep. Cedric Richmond, Democrat from Louisiana's 2nd District
Republican Congressman Steve Scalise of Louisiana’s 1st District also made comments during yesterday’s impeachment proceedings.
"Emotions are still high, but at this moment we need to be focused on toning down the rhetoric," Scalise said "And helping heal this nation as we turn toward a peaceful transition of power to President-elect Joe Biden next week."
Scalise and Richmond were the only members of the Louisiana delegation to speak from the floor during Wednesday's debate. Some Members from the Texas delegation presented their arguments, Congressman Republican Louie Gohmert of Texas’ 1st district accused Democrats of denying due process by not holding hearings first.
"Now the message is: if you have a whim, and you wanna just go after a president, just go straight to the floor. No investigation, no Judiciary Committee. Go straight to the floor. Use it as a political weapon as you wish."
Democratic Congressman Joaquin Castro of Texas’ 20th District called Trump "The most dangerous man to ever occupy the Oval Office."
"If inciting a deadly insurrection is not enough to get a president impeached, then what is?" Castro said.
Of the Texas delegation, the votes fell along party lines with 13 voting in favor of impeachment, 21 voting against. The four Arkansas Congressman, all Republicans voted against impeachment. The U.S. Senate will next conduct an impeachment trial, though it's unlikely to begin before Trump leaves office on Jan. 20.
