STEUBE: Democrats Have Made a Mockery of the Impeachment Process
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) today spoke on the House Floor in opposition to H.Res. 24, Article of Impeachment.
“For three years, Democrat Members of this body and the mainstream media lied to the American people that the Trump campaign colluded and conspired with Russia. After an exhaustive investigation, it was found that there was no evidence that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia,” Steube said. “Should Democrat Members of this body resign for lying to the American people, repeatedly? And sowing division and dissension all across America and it was all a lie.”
Steube and a majority of his Republican colleagues opposed the Article of Impeachment both on the legal grounds that President Trump’s actions did not constitute the “high crimes and misdemeanors” as outlined. Additionally, Steube pointed out that the President of the United States is not only protected by the First Amendment, but also did not logically, or legally, meet the definition for incitement.
Over the past several days, Steube has called out his Democrat colleagues for their disingenuous calls for peace and unity and has said that this rushed impeachment process has only served to further divide the country for the sake of partisanship.
Steube voted against H.Res. 24.
His full remarks can be found here or below.
“Thank you, Madam Speaker. For three years Democrat members of this body and the mainstream media lied to the American people that the Trump campaign colluded and conspired with Russia, for years.
After an exhaustive investigation, it was found that there was no evidence that the Trump Campaign colluded with Russia. Should Democratic members of this body resign for lying to the American people, repeatedly? And sowing division and dissention all across America and it was all a lie?
You have brought one Article of Impeachment to the floor and your one allegation alleges, and I quote, ‘Donald John Trump engaged in high Crimes and misdemeanors by inciting violence against the Government of the United states.’
In DC, it’s a crime to ‘intentionally or recklessly act in such a manner to cause another person to be in reasonable fear and to incite or provoke violence where there is a likelihood that such violence will ensue.’ There was NO language in the President’s speech that incited or provoked violence.
In fact, at around the 18-minute mark he stated, and quote, ‘peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.’
You may think that he’s inciting violence because he believes there was election fraud. That’s his opinion and he’s entitled to that opinion, just like all of you were entitled to your false and fraudulent opinion that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia.
The legal elements of incitement are based on the Supreme Court case Brandenburg v. Ohio (1969), in which the Supreme Court set the standard for speech that could be prosecuted without violating the 1st Amendment. Brandenburg’s speech called for violence against groups of Americans and the court found that Brandenburg’s comments were not ‘directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action.’ The Court found that it was protected speech and he WAS calling for violence. That’s the current law of the land.
The President didn’t even mention violence last Wednesday, much less provoke or incite it.
There was no crime committed and therefore no basis for impeachment as you need a High crime or misdemeanor as a basis.
You have created a mockery out of the Impeachment process, and I urge all my colleagues to stand against it and fight the latest fraud being perpetrated against the American people by the radical left.”
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