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The third-highest ranking Republican in the House is joining with a group of other GOP lawmakers who are attempting to expunge former President Donald Trump’s second impeachment, calling it improperly handled and politically motivated.
On Wednesday, Stefanik joined with more than two dozen GOP colleagues who are pushing for a resolution that would expunge the former president’s second impeachment after labeling it the result of a “sham process.”
Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) is heading up the push against Speaker Nancy Pelosi, noting in a statement:
“Democrats used their second impeachment resolution to once again weaponize one of the gravest and consequential powers of the House. This was never about the Constitution; it was rooted in personal politics.”
Stefanik added: “The American people know Democrats weaponized the power of impeachment against President Donald Trump to advance their own extreme political agenda.
“From the beginning of this sham process, I stood up against Nancy Pelosi’s blatant attempt to shred the Constitution as House Democrats ignored precedent and failed to follow the legislative process,” she continued.
“But President Donald Trump was rightfully acquitted, and it is past time to expunge Democrats’ sham smear against not only President Trump’s name but against millions of patriots across the country,” Stefanik noted further.
The resolution has 28 cosponsors, including Reps. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., Brian Mast, R-Fla., and Jody Hice, R-Ga.
Notes The Hill:
A copy of Mullin’s draft bill obtained by The Hill said that the incitement of insurrection impeachment charge “contains a subjective account of that which transpired at the Capitol on January 6, 2021” and “omits any discussion of the circumstances, unusual voting patterns, and voting anomalies of the 2020 Presidential election itself.”
Mullin, a former mixed martial arts fighter, leaped into action to barricade doors to the House chamber during the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, making his move to erase Trump’s impeachment after the attack particularly notable.
A copy of Mullin’s draft legislation obtained by the outlet says that the incitement of insurrection impeachment charge “contains a subjective account of that which transpired at the Capitol on January 6, 2021” and “omits any discussion of the circumstances, unusual voting patterns, and voting anomalies of the 2020 Presidential election itself.”
Several paragraphs of the resolution address the 2020 election, noting that Trump won 18 of the 19 bellwether counties that normally corresponded with the winner of the presidential election. It also notes that the former president earned more votes than he did in 2016 in his successful campaign against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. The resolution also highlights rule changes that were put in place by several battleground states — some argued illegally, since they were not passed by state legislatures — ostensibly due to the pandemic. And it says that recount efforts were “vociferously opposed” by officials in some of those states.
“The new resolution also takes issue with the process of the impeachment after Jan. 6, noting a lack of hearings and its hasty release. The fact that Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts did not preside over the Senate impeachment trial, it says, was ‘perfecting the entirety of the process as nothing more than an unconstitutional exercise in futility, moot, and fantastical political theater,'” The Hill noted.
Mullin, a fifth-term congressman, is running for the U.S. Senate in his state to replace retiring Sen. James Inhofe, a Republican. Trump has yet to endorse anyone in that race and Inhofe has endorsed Luke Holland, his former chief of staff, The Hill added.
Mullin reportedly introduced his resolution on Wednesday. It’s not likely to get much traction in the Democrat-controlled chamber, but by being introduced he has it on record and it can always be revisited if Republicans manage to retain control of the House during the November midterms.
“This is the second resolution from Mullin to expunge a Trump impeachment. He previously introduced a measure in March to expunge the Dec. 18, 2019, impeachment of Trump over his encouraging Ukraine to investigate the business dealings of Hunter Biden, the son of President Biden, while discussing military aid to Ukraine,” The Hill reported.
