Here’s what southern Illinois House members think of impeaching President Trump — again
READ MORE
More coverage of US Rep. Mary Miller
Read more stories about Illinois 15th Congressional District Rep. Mary Miller
Expand All
Three GOP U.S. House members representing southern Illinois oppose an effort to impeach President Donald Trump seven days before he leaves office, calling it a rushed effort that will sow more division.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called on lawmakers to return to Washington, D.C., ahead of an expected 9 a.m. vote Wednesday on a single article of impeachment accusing the president of “willful incitement of insurrection.” Supporters of the impeachment effort say Trump incited a mob that breached the U.S. Capitol building last week and caused a riot that ended with five people dead.
U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, a fifth-term Republican representing the 13th District, said the Founding Fathers intended for the impeachment process to be deliberate. Democrats Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer were rushing through the process, he said.
“This is being rushed by the speaker and by Leader Schumer for nothing but political reasons,” Davis said. “Doing this now only foments more violence and opportunities for having our country be more divided rather than coming together.”
Given FBI warnings about armed protests in capital cities across the nation on Inauguration Day, Davis said he worries Jan. 20 will be marked by violence like Washington, D.C., saw last week. Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered increased Illinois State Police presence at the Capitol and at the Bank of America conference center where state lawmakers are holding a lame duck session, the governor said at a news conference in Springfield Monday.
U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, a Republican representing the 12th District, said Democrats have been trying for years to remove the president from power. If the House adopts the article, it would be the second time Congress’ lower chamber impeached Trump.
“Now, they’re going to do this again?” Bost said. “It is ridiculous. They can like him, they can hate him, but the list goes on and on of everything they wanted to impeach him for. If you want to calm this nation down, stop. Stop.”
Republican U.S. Rep. Mary Miller of the 15th District said she opposes impeachment.
“What this country desperately needs now is unity and healing,” Miller said in a prepared statement. “Each passing day spent on these articles is an opportunity lost to working on the priorities of our American families.”
Another Republican congressman from Illinois, Adam Kinzinger of the 16th District, first called on Trump to resign or be removed from office by Vice President Mike Pence and the Cabinet invoking the 25th Amendment. Before moving ahead with impeachment, the House tried Tuesday to persuade Pence and the Cabinet to declare Trump unfit for service — a move they were not expected to make.
On Tuesday, Kinzinger announced he would vote in favor of impeachment, becoming the third GOP House member to support it behind U.S. Reps. John Katko (R-New York) and Liz Cheney (R-Wyoming).
“There is no doubt in my mind that the President of the United States broke his oath of office and incited this insurrection,” Kinzinger said in a prepared statement.
Democratic U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth from Illinois have both demanded Trump’s removal from office, and all 13 Democratic House members from Illinois were in favor of impeachment, The Chicago Tribune reported.
With at least 218 cosponsors, the impeachment article has already been approved by the majority of House members it needs for passage, Politico reported Monday, but it had little chance in the Senate.
If the House impeaches Trump and the Senate convicts him, he could lose benefits such as a lifetime pension, among other perks.
This story was originally published January 12, 2021 at 1:56 PM.
