Hastings' Statement on Senate Acquittal of Trump

Statement

Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) released the following statement on the conclusion of the Senate Impeachment Trial of President Donald John Trump:

"We have witnessed a sham of shame. Due to Senate Republicans' open hostility to carry out even a bare minimum of the responsibility needed to honor their oaths to uphold the Constitution of the United States, we cannot even designate what they have carried out as a trial as it is defined by the American people. Republicans refused to call witnesses such as former National Security Advisor John Bolton or even compel the production of relevant documents. Through its insistence on meekness and cowardice, the Republican-led Senate has not only abdicated its Constitutional duties to rank partisan politics, but in so doing, has established a damaging precedent that allows the President to withhold Congressionally appropriated taxpayer money from a key ally of the United States fighting a hot war against our adversary until that ally investigates the President's domestic political rival.

"By putting himself before his country time and time again, President Trump has proven that his corruption and obstruction know absolutely no bounds. After imperiling our national security by corruptly soliciting foreign interference from Ukraine to support his own reelection campaign, he went so far as to obstruct the very House investigation into these crimes. Even the independent, nonpartisan U.S. Government and Accountability Office (GAO) issued a stunning legal opinion confirming that President Trump violated the law by blocking Congressionally authorized aid to Ukraine. I have no doubt that the sordid facts of this national betrayal will continue to come to light over the coming weeks and months ahead, further highlighting the Senate's tragic failure today.

"History will remember each and every Senator's vote. In Senator Mitch McConnell's blind commitment to stand by this corrupt President at the expense of our democracy, the Majority Leader has led his colleagues into rejecting even the faintest semblance of a fair trial, betraying their oaths of impartiality, and abandoning their duty to preserve, protect, and defend our sacred Constitution.

"The somber, patriotic decision reached by the House of Representatives just 49 days ago to uphold democracy and impeach President Trump on both articles of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress will not be erased by the tragedy we have witnessed in the Senate today."

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