WASHINGTON D.C., DC — Maine's 2nd Congressional District Rep. Jared Golden announced his support for impeaching President Donald Trump, after stopping short of doing so this weekend despite saying Trump is "responsible for the violence" at the Capitol and "should be held accountable."
The article of impeachment Golden co-sponsored was introduced by Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., and would impeach the president for inciting insurrection. It will be brought to the House floor for a vote this week.
In a statement Monday announcing his support for impeachment, Golden says he does so "without reservation, as I have no question or doubt about the president’s conduct and responsibility for last week's assault upon the United States Capitol and the United States Congress."
Golden's full statement:
"Later this week, I will support bringing an article for the impeachment of President Donald J. Trump directly to the House floor, and I will vote to impeach the president for the incitement of insurrection, an act which clearly meets the threshold of a ‘high crime or misdemeanor’ set forth by the Framers. I do this without reservation, as I have no question or doubt about the president’s conduct and responsibility for last week's assault upon the United States Capitol and the United States Congress.
For the past two months, without any factual basis, the president has misled his supporters with claims that the election was stolen. The president’s claims — ranging from accusations of massive voter fraud to questions about the legality of states’ actions in administering their elections — have been rejected by courts across the country at nearly every level of our judicial system. These claims have been rejected not once, not twice, but over 60 times.
Opinions on these lawsuits issued by judges appointed by both Democrats and Republicans, including by President Trump himself, have discounted the president’s claims of fraudulent activity or illegal state actions as ‘bizarre,’ having ‘no basis in fact or in law,’ and as ‘strained legal arguments without merit and speculative accusations, unpled in the operative complaint and unsupported by evidence.’
To be clear, the 2020 election was both free and fair, and its results are fully legitimate. In claiming otherwise, the president, members of his cabinet and administration, and some members of Congress have knowingly lied to the American public.
As dishonorable as these public officials' lies have been, the president’s actions on Wednesday, January 6 were even more vile, and they cannot go unanswered by Congress. In addressing thousands of supporters gathered outside the White House that day, with the power and authority that comes with the office of the President of the United States, Donald Trump incited Wednesday’s insurrection against a coequal branch of the United States government; with his failure to act immediately to bring them under control, he offered them aid; and by telling them in the midst of insurrection, ‘We love you, you’re very special,’ and by continuing to insist the election was stolen, he offered them comfort.
By no means does this statement provide an exhaustive list of the president's misconduct over these past two months and the responsibility that he bears for this national tragedy, but in the history of our country, I do not believe there has ever been a clearer case for the immediate impeachment of a president, as well as for his removal from office and disqualification from holding future public office.”
Maine Rep. Chellie Pingree has been vocal about removing Trump from office since Wednesday's violent insurrection. She has co-sponsored two House resolutions to impeach Trump.
Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins has not commented on the subject of impeachment, "because of the Senate's constitutional role in those proceedings, which includes sitting as a jury," a spokesperson for Collins said.
Maine Sen. Angus King, an Independent, has also not spoken about impeachment, though he did suggest Vice President Pence "should consider" invoking the 25th Amendment.
Here is the Golden issued Sunday, January 10, on the House’s efforts to address the violence last week.
“There is bipartisan agreement that Wednesday’s events were unacceptable. As I said then, the president is responsible for Wednesday’s violence and lawlessness, and he should be held accountable. There are many different forms of accountability, and Congress must engage in a discussion about what is on the table, and how best to work towards action that can be taken with majority support, if not more. Finding a way to act together will send a message to America and to the world that our democracy remains resilient and that we are united by a common purpose to protect it.
“I have already begun conversations with colleagues in both parties, and in the days ahead, I will continue to work with members in both the House and Senate to try to build consensus on how we can bring about accountability for Wednesday’s terrible events and ensure that they are not repeated in the future.”
Read the House resolution Golden supports here: