Impeachment

Floor Speech

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Mrs. HYDE-SMITH. Mr. President, I will vote to acquit President Donald J. Trump on both Articles of Impeachment presented by House Democrats. I have listened carefully to the arguments presented by the House Democratic managers and the White House defense team. Those prosecuting the President failed on a legal and constitutional basis to produce the evidence required to undertake the very serious act of removing a duly elected President from this office.

This trial exposed that pure political partisanship fueled a reckless investigation and the subsequent impeachment of the President on weak, vague, and noncriminal accusations. The Democrats' case, which lacked the basic standards of fairness and due process, was fabricated to fulfill their one long-held hope to impeach President Trump.

We should all be concerned about the dangerous precedent and consequences of convicting any President on charges originating from strictly partisan reasons. The Founding Fathers warned against allowing impeachment to become a political weapon. In this case, House Democrats crossed that line.

Rejecting the abuse of power and obstruction of Congress articles before us will affirm our belief and the impeachment standards intended by the Founders. With my votes to acquit President Trump, justice will be served. The Senate has faithfully executed its constitutional duties to hear and judge the charges leveled against the President.

I remain hopeful that we can finally set aside this flawed partisan investigation, prosecution, and persecution of President Trump. The people of Mississippi and this great Nation are more interested in us getting back to doing the work they sent us here to do.

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