Today, a longtime Trump supporter from South Carolina voted in favor of impeaching the president for a second time, along with 9 other Republicans and 222 Democrats.
Republican Congressman Tom Rice initially said he did not support impeachment, saying on Monday, “Trump acted recklessly last Wednesday, but he only has nine days left in his term. Let’s not stoke further division.”
Today, however, when the vote to impeach President Trump began, Rice decided to support the unprecedented move.
Rice has now released a statement as to why he voted against the leader of his party:
“Under the strict definition of the law, I don’t know if the President’s speech last Wednesday morning amounted to incitement of a riot, but any reasonable person could see the potential for violence.
Once the violence began, when the Capitol was under siege, when the Capitol Police were being beaten and killed, and when the Vice President and the Congress were being locked down, the President was watching and tweeted about the Vice President’s lack of courage.
For hours while the riot continued, the President communicated only on Twitter and offered only weak requests for restraint.
I was on the floor of the House of Representatives when the rioters were beating on the door with tear gas, zip-tie restraints, and pipe bombs in their possession. It is only by the grace of God and the blood of the Capitol Police that the death toll was not much, much higher.
It has been a week since so many were injured, the United States Capitol was ransacked, and six people were killed, including two police officers. Yet, the President has not addressed the nation to ask for calm. He has not visited the injured and grieving. He has not offered condolences. Yesterday in a press briefing at the border, he said his comments were ‘perfectly appropriate.’
I have backed this President through thick and thin for four years. I campaigned for him and voted for him twice. But, this utter failure is inexcusable.” – Republican Congressman Tom Rice, 1/13/2021
I have backed this President through thick and thin for four years. I campaigned for him and voted for him twice. But, this utter failure is inexcusable.https://t.co/SCWylYEER0
— Congressman Tom Rice (@RepTomRice) January 13, 2021
The 9 other Republicans who joined Rice and every Democrat in the House to impeach President Trump included:
President Trump is now the first President in American history to be impeached twice.
What do you think about today’s vote?