releases: https://keller.house.gov/media/in-the-news/pa-lawmakers-explain-impeachment-vote-president-donald-trump
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| https://keller.house.gov/media/in-the-news/pa-lawmakers-explain-impeachment-vote-president-donald-trump | Pa. lawmakers explain impeachment vote of President Donald Trump | 2019-12-18 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Republican | House | PA | Fred Keller | K000395 | keller.house.gov | legacy | Pennsylvania lawmakers offered plenty of spoilers ahead of the impeachment vote in the House of Representatives. The state's congressional delegation made their positions clear in the days beforethe House's historic vote to impeach President Donald Trump Wednesday. The state's nine Democratic House members said they'd vote to impeach the president, while Pennsylvania's nine Republican House members said they opposed the impeachment effort. All of Pennsylvania's House members did as they said they would, casting their votes along party lines. Trump faces two articles of impeachment charging him with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The House impeachment effort focuses on Trump's pushing the president of Ukraine to investigate Democratic rivals. Even though the vote fell along party lines, the Keystone State's congressional delegation offered different perspectives. Here's a rundown of lawmakers' views, including statements made on the House floor Wednesday and statements they offered in the days ahead of the vote. U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Bucks County Republican, criticized President Trump's conduct. But he derided the House impeachment effort led by Democrats as overtly partisan. Julia Hatmaker | jhatmaker@pennlive.com Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R 1st District Fitzpatrick, a Bucks County Republican, said he opposes impeachment but also criticized Trump's conduct. Fitzpatrick's district is almost evenly split between Democrats and Republicans. Let me be clear: President Trump's call with President Zelensky showed poor judgement," he said in a statement Tuesday. "Law enforcement matters must always remain separate and distinct from political matters. But he scorched the House Democratic leaders' handling of the impeachment effort. This impeachment inquiry has violated every investigative principle, has violated Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Nadler's own impeachment standard, has been entirely partisan, and has been wholly divisive. From the very start it was never designed by House leadership to be a genuine fact-finding mission. Rep. Brendan Boyle, D 2nd District This is the fourth impeachment proceeding against an American president and the most serious, the Philadelphia Democrat said on the House floor Wednesday. The president committed numerous crimes, threatening the national security." Rep. Dwight Evans, D 3rd District Impeachment is a solemn and historic task," the Philadelphia Democrat said in a statement before the vote Wednesday. With the outrageous, ongoing conduct of President Trump, impeachment is necessary for upholding our oath of office and the Constitution, Evans said. Benjamin Franklin said after the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia that we have a republic, if you can keep it.' House Democrats intend to keep it. Rep. Madeleine Dean, D 4th District The Montgomery County Democrat said with her vote, House lawmakers are speaking to future presidents. She posed questions to fellow lawmakers on the House floor Wednesday. When is it ever right for a president to coerce a foreign power to interfere in our elections? she asked. When is it ever right for a president to intimidate a foreign leader into announcing false investigations into a political rival? Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D 5th District It's with profound sadness that I stand here today in support of these articles of impeachment," Scanlon, a Delaware County Democrat, said on the House floor Wednesday. President Trump's behavior is exactly what our founders feared most," she said. "They knew that with the awesome power of the presidency came the risk of a president abusing that power for personal gain. She said the president "used the highest office in our government, and taxpayer dollars, to pressure a foreign country to interfere in our election. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D 6th District Houlahan, a Chester County Democrat, said Monday she would vote to impeach. The president used the power of his office to advance his own personal, political interests rather than those of our nation," she said. Disturbingly, he did this in an effort to undermine the upcoming 2020 election and in order to damage a political opponent. Rep. Susan Wild, D 7th District The Lehigh Valley Democrat, a freshman, said the testimony in recent weeks compelled her to support the impeachment effort. In a statement, she said, It is beyond clear to me that President Trump, through his interactions with Ukrainean ally under attack by Russiaabused the powers of his office to put his own political interests above the interests of the American people. Rep. Matt Cartwright, D 8th District In an op-ed published in USA Today this week, Cartwright said he had been one of the most vocal Democrats urging restraint ahead of the impeachment inquiry. But he said he feels advancing impeachment articles to the Senate is warranted. I believe there is sufficient evidence of these things to warrant further proceedings," Cartwright wrote inthe op-ed. "So I will vote to send this matter to the Senate, where at long last we may well hear an innocent explanation for all of it. Despite every indication that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has prejudged the outcome, I hope he will join us in a serious endeavor to find the truth. Rep. Daniel Meuser, R 9th District The Republican freshman, who represents Berks and Lebanon counties, derided the impeachment charade. Democrats' obsession with impeachment is all-consuming, Meuser said on the House floor. Is this how Democratic leadership chooses to represent the people of America. Rep. Scott Perry, a York County Republican, has repeatedly defended President Trump and opposed the impeachment effort. July 30, 2019 Sean Simmers | ssimmers@pennlive.com Rep. Scott Perry, R 10th District Perry, whose district includes Dauphin, Cumberland and York counties, has been a staunch defender of Trump. The York County Republican took to the House floor Wednesday to oppose the impeachment effort and said House Democrats were abusing the power of their offices. Our system demands evidence of high crimes and misdemeanors, Perry said on the House floor. If such evidence existed, there would be an agreement in this chamber but there's not. There is not an agreement because there is not evidence. Rep. Lloyd Smucker, R 11th District The Lancaster County Republican spoke on the House floor and asked: how much is the trust of the American people worth? Smucker defended the president as a disrupter and a deal-maker. He also denounced Democrats for what he described was a long-term effort to oust Trump from office. Directing his remarks to Democrats on the House floor, Smucker said, After the vote today, for what you think is a short-term partisan gain, you can be sure that the American people will have lost trust that their vote counts." Rep. Fred Keller, R 12th District Today's vote to impeach the President is the culmination of years of unwarranted investigations, baseless accusations, and a blind partisan disdain for President Trump that has caused House Democrats to abandon all respect for the Constitution and due process, Keller said in a statement shortly after the vote. Democrats have not proven one single fact or come up with one single piece of evidence proving President Trump committed an impeachable offense," said Keller, whose district includes Perry, Juniata and several other counties. Rather, by spending years engaged in this impeachment farce, Democrats have played directly into the hands of those who wish to sow political discord in this country. Rep. John Joyce, R 13th District Joyce, whose district include parts of Cumberland County and several other central Pa. counties, has characterized the House effort as the impeachment sham. This impeachment circus has never been about the facts, Joyce said on the House floor Wednesday. "This process has always been about seeking revenge for the President's election in 2016 and attempting to prevent him from winning again in 2020. Madam Speaker, I wholeheartedly oppose this partisan and shameful effort to impeach our democratically-elected President. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R 14th District The Republican said last week, At the end of the day, you don't have the facts to make out the case. If we're arguing the law, I'll sit here and argue it all night because the law is on our side, he said last week. Rep. Glenn Thompson, R 15th District Impeachment has been a foregone conclusion for the Democrats. By politicizing the most severe powers reserved for Congress, they will undoubtedly leave a lasting stain on the institution, Thompson said in a statement last week. After considering all of the information presented, I have only heard emotional arguments that do not rise to the level of impeachment. Therefore, I will not vote in favor of the articles of impeachment. Rep. Mike Kelly, R 16th District I'm voting against this impeachment, Kelly told Fox News Wednesday. On the impeachment effort, Kelly said, It's a sham. It's worse than that. It's a real shame for this country. Rep. Conor Lamb, D 17th District The western Pennsylvania Democrat said last week he would vote to impeach. What President Trump did was wrong, he wrote on Facebook. "I hoped he would take responsibility & put this incident behind us. But he hasn't. Instead, he insists the call was perfect, which means he would do it again. The evidence is clear. The standard is the standard. I will vote to impeach. Rep. Michael Doyle, D 18th District Doyle said last week he'd vote to impeach the president. I believe that the evidence is overwhelming that the President abused his power and obstructed Congress, both of which are impeachable offenses under the Constitution, Doyle wrote on Twitter. What's next The impeachment effort is expected to begin in the Senate after the new year. And that will mean Pennsylvania's two U.S. senators will have to weigh in on whether the president should be impeached. U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr., D-Pa., supported the House launching an impeachment inquiry.In an October interview with PennLive, Casey said, You have to check that kind of an abuse of power. U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., has said Trump committed no crime. Toomey has said Trump's dealings with the Ukraine president were inappropriate but don't rise to the level of impeachable conduct. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |