Let’s See What North Carolina’s Genius Republicans Had to Say About the Impeachment Vote

On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 232–196 to formally open an impeachment inquiry into whether President Trump abused the powers of his office for political gain.

The resolution establishes ground rules for the investigation and will set the table for televised hearings that are sure to make politics extra fun this fall. It allows the president’s lawyer (or the president himself, which would be amazing) to question witnesses and participate in proceedings once the inquiry reaches the Judiciary Committee, authorizes the Intelligence Committee to release deposition transcripts and write and release a report on its investigation, and permits the minority members of the Intelligence and Judiciary Committees to subpoena witnesses and documents should the chairmen or committee majorities agree. 

As expected, the vote fell mostly along party lines, with Democrats pointing out that several officials had already testified that Trump and his cronies had pressured Ukraine to announce an investigation into former vice president Joe Biden in exchange for military aid—by definition, a quid pro quo—and Republicans echoing the president’s line that this is “The Greatest Witch Hunt In American History!” 

All Republicans (including all ten Republicans from North Carolina) and two Democrats voted against the resolution. The other Dems (including the three from North Carolina) and Republican-turned-independent Justin Amash voted for it.

Legally, Democrats didn’t have to put forward the resolution. Its committees could have carried on without it. But Democrats wanted to head off Republican complaints about a closed-door, unfair process. Needless to say, having a process put in place didn’t assuage those complaints—almost as if they weren’t made in entirely good faith.

After the vote, some of our state’s congressional brainiacs took to Twitter to explain why this is a “sad day in the history of our great republic.” Prepare yourself for an intellectual tour de force. 

U.S. Representative Greg Murphy, who recently won a special election for the Third District, formerly held by the late Walter Jones—a Republican who wasn’t always a mindless toadie. 

I voted against the resolution that unfortunately passed the House of Representatives today, which simply codifies the unfair and unprecedented process that has been used to smear the President of the United States in an attempt to reverse the 2016 election.

— Greg Murphy (@RepGregMurphy) October 31, 2019

U.S. Rep. Ted Budd, who could stare into a pile of shit and tell you it was chocolate.  

I just voted against the House resolution on the impeachment inquiry.

Unfortunately, all this resolution does is put a new coat of paint on a biased impeachment process. pic.twitter.com/emvjIZ6XHv

— Ted Budd (@RepTedBudd) October 31, 2019

U.S. Representative Dan Bishop, the HB 2-sponsoring bigot who’s apparently huffing the same glue as Rudy Giuliani. 

This is the gaslighting impeachment — an underhanded and manipulative preemptive strike, meant to forestall the accountability that is coming for the abuses of 2016. It is ridiculous, pure partisanship and demeaning to the Constitution. But accountability is coming all the same.

— Dan Bishop (@jdanbishop) October 31, 2019

U.S. Representative Richard Hudson, who appears to believe that televised hearings will be secret. 

I just joined all of my @HouseGOP colleagues – and 2 @HouseDemocrats – in voting AGAINST the partisan resolution to formalize the impeachment inquiry against @realDonaldTrump. The resolution doubles down on secrecy and continues to deny due process. #ImpeachmentVote

— Richard Hudson (@RepRichHudson) October 31, 2019

U.S. Representative David Rouzier, who read from the same playbook. 

Democrats had a chance to show they’re serious when they say they want to conduct a fact-based, impartial and fair impeachment inquiry. Instead, the resolution just passed simply formalizes the sham impeachment investigation they’ve been conducting for more than a month.

— David Rouzer (@RepDavidRouzer) October 31, 2019

U.S. Representative Patrick McHenry, who thinks Democrats want to overturn the will of the (minority of the) American people by making Mike Pence president. (He also thinks the Mueller report failed to implicate the president in wrongdoing, which is a good sign he did not read the Mueller report.)

Today I voted NO on another attempt by Democrats to overturn the will of the American people and undo the results of the 2016 election. Read my full statement here → https://t.co/aCimVPRPIv pic.twitter.com/wr2w61yq2j

— Patrick McHenry (@PatrickMcHenry) October 31, 2019

U.S. Representative Mark Walker, who gives us a whole #thread of performative-outrage nonsense, calling the Democrats an “irrational mob.”

I just left the House floor after voting NO today on legalizing Adam Schiff and Nancy Pelosi’s impeachment sham. Here is why:#ImpeachmentVote

— Rep. Mark Walker (@RepMarkWalker) October 31, 2019

Last but not least, Trump leg-humper-in chief Mark Meadows, who is very mad that Democrats want to impeach Trump every time he does crimes. 

Democrats keep trying to tell you they’re *reluctantly* pursuing impeachment.

Reminder: since @realDonaldTrump took office, they’ve tried to force impeachment votes THREE times. Once in 2017, ’18, and earlier in ’19.

Reluctant? Please. Democrats are a party craving impeachment.

— Mark Meadows (@RepMarkMeadows) October 31, 2019

Just for fun, we also checked in on the Twitter feed of noted cephalopod Thom Tillis to see if he had any pressing thoughts on this morning’s developments. Here you go: 

America’s Spookiest Democrats offer us neither trick nor treat. pic.twitter.com/WCrU8FiGY1

— Thom Tillis (@ThomTillis) October 31, 2019

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Contact editor in chief Jeffrey C. Billman at jbillman@indyweek.com. 

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