Trump impeachment: Here’s how Kentucky’s representatives voted
All five of Kentucky’s Republican representatives voted no when President Donald Trump was impeached Wednesday in a bipartisan vote.
The U.S. House voted 232-197 to impeach Trump on the grounds that he incited the violent insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Voting in favor of the impeachment was the state’s lone Democratic representative, John Yarmuth of the 3rd District.
“Six people died as a result of his insurrection last week, many were injured and far more remain traumatized whether they were here at the Capitol that day or watched from afar,” Yarmuth said in a tweet while representatives were still voting.
Kentucky Republicans argued that impeachment was rushed and unnecessary because the president’s term was ending next week. Ten other Republican representatives voted with Democrats to impeach.
“I think pursuing impeachment will unnecessarily increase political division in our country and serves no real purpose,” Rep. Thomas Massie, of the 4th District in Northern Kentucky, said in a tweet prior to the impeachment vote.
Other Kentucky Republicans shared similar opinions after the vote Wednesday.
Rep. James Comer, who represents the 1st District, mostly in Western Kentucky, called the impeachment a “political stunt” and complained that House Democrats were too focused on partisanship.
Rep. Andy Barr from Central Kentucky’s 6th District said in a statement that Trump’s rhetoric was “regrettable and irresponsible,” but Barr opposed impeachment.
“Based on the facts, I do not believe the president’s words, while unfortunate, satisfy the legal definition of incitement,” said Barr of Lexington.
Rep. Hal Rogers from the state’s 5th District said voting to impeach Trump was “another vote to divide our country from within.” He also accused House Democrats of working to remove Trump since he took office. The 5th District includes parts of Eastern and Southern Kentucky.
Rep. Brett Guthrie in the 2nd District said he didn’t want to rush to impeach the president based on limited evidence for impeachable offenses.
“I don’t want to vote to impeach a president based on what’s been reported in the media, because a lot of times it’s just not accurate,” Guthrie said in an interview with Spectrum News.
Guthrie said in a statement after the vote that the impeachment “rings hollow” because Trump will likely have left office before a Senate trial begins.
Many Republicans argued that impeachment was rushed and unproductive because Trump had already committed to a peaceful transition of power. It was a commitment Trump didn’t make until after the riot.
“We need to be focused on turning down the rhetoric,” Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise said in the Republicans’ closing argument. “ ... It will only further divide a nation that is calling out for healing.”
Democrats who supported the impeachment said Trump’s commitment to a peaceful transition wouldn’t suffice because the “mob sent by the president” was intent on disrupting that transition. The president also has previously said one thing and done another.
“There can be no mistaking any longer the kind of man sitting in the Oval office, nor his intentions and capabilities,” said Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer. “The curtain has been pulled back.”
Wednesday’s vote was the second time Trump has been impeached. Representatives were split along party lines when he was impeached in 2019, with no House Republicans voting in favor of impeachment. Yarmuth was the only Kentucky representative to vote in favor of impeachment in 2019.
This story was originally published January 13, 2021 at 5:04 PM.