[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 9 (Friday, January 15, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E42]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IMPEACHING DONALD JOHN TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, FOR HIGH 
                        CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                       HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 13, 2021

  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of impeaching the 
President of the United States of America, Donald, J. Trump for high 
crimes and misdemeanors.
  One week ago, in this Capitol Building, there was an armed 
insurrection orchestrated and incited by the President of the United 
States himself.
  Think about that for a moment--led and encouraged by the President of 
the United States. This threat to our democracy can never be 
overstated; the trauma experienced, and loss of life, can never be 
erased from our collective memory or minimized in our history books.
  Look at this room, look at this building, the scars of bullet holes 
and mob attack remain. We are working within a crime scene. Many of my 
friends and colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, were only moments 
away from being overrun by this mob--that was armed with guns, 
handcuffs, chemical weapons, and other objects of death and 
destruction.
  The mob violently smashed its way into the Capitol. They sought the 
Speaker of the House to cause her harm. They sought the Vice President 
of the United States to cause him harm. Their goal was to overturn the 
most important element of our electoral democracy--a free and fair 
election.
  Madam Speaker, President Trump has declared war on democracy. He lied 
to our country for weeks regarding the results of our Presidential 
election. He charged up the white supremacist mob that attacked this 
Congress. He did nothing as police were attacked, and killed, and 
hundreds of Members and staff hid under tables and behind doors to 
preserve their lives. He is a clear and present danger to this country 
and our democracy and he must be removed from office.
  Were it not for the bravery of law enforcement, I'm afraid of what 
may have happened one week ago.
  What we do today will be studied by our children and grandchildren. 
Nobody is above the law. A President's primary job requirement is to 
protect and preserve the Constitution of the United States, and the 
lives of the American people. He has demonstrably failed at both.
  I implore my colleagues to consider this. If we are not going to use 
the tool of impeachment provided by the U.S. constitution to hold those 
accountable for violent sedition against the United States, then what 
should it be used for?
  When our time comes to vote in only a matter of moments, I call on 
all members in this chamber to honor their oaths, an oath we signed 
only 10 days ago: ``I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend 
the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and 
domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that 
I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or 
purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the 
duties of the office on which I'm about to enter. So help me God.''
  History demands that we hold Donald Trump accountable for dangerously 
failing to abide by this sacred oath.

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