Who Are the Two Democrats Who Voted Against the House Resolution Formalizing Impeachment?

By Charles Duncan, McClatchy DC

31 October 19

 

wo Democrats in the House of Representatives voted against the resolution authorizing the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump. 

Democrats Collin C. Peterson of Minnesota and Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey voted against the resolution that came up Thursday morning. 

Nearly all Republicans in the House — 194 — voted against the bill, while three didn’t cast a vote. The Democrats won the vote mostly along party lines, with 232 votes in favor, including one from independent Justin Amash, who previously left the Republican party. 

The push comes over Trump’s efforts to have Ukraine’s president investigate former Democrat Vice President Joe Biden.

Peterson, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported earlier this month, “has called the impeachment process futile, unnecessarily divisive and a bad use of Congress’ time.”

The newspaper said Peterson has not defended Trump’s actions that led to the inquiry. Trump carried Peterson’s district in 2016, according to the Star-Tribune.

Van Drew was expected to vote no on Thursday’s resolution, according to The Press of Atlantic City. 

“I understand certain things said by the president can make people feel uncomfortable,” he said, according to the newspaper. “At the same time, it’s also been clear we have a year until an election.”

In a statement after the vote, Van Drew said: “Today, I voted Nay on H.Res. 660. Without bipartisan support I believe this inquiry will further divide the country tearing it apart at the seams and will ultimately fail in the Senate. However, now that the vote has taken place and we are moving forward I will be making a judgment call based on all the evidence presented by these investigations.”

“My hope is that we are still able to get some work done to help the American people like infrastructure, veteran’s benefits, environmental protections, immigration reform, reducing prescription drug cost, and strengthening Social Security,” he said.