CHEYENNE — The House of Representatives voted to move forward with the impeachment of President Donald Trump on Wednesday, but Wyoming’s sole delegate in the House, U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, was among the Republican minority that voted against the charges.
The charges against Trump are abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, and both are tied to the president’s July 25 call with Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky.
While speaking on the House floor prior to Wednesday’s vote, Cheney said passing the articles of impeachment may permanently damage the American republic.
“From this day forward, a hyper-partisan, bare majority can cite this precedent to try to remove a future commander in chief,” Cheney said.
“I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, Madam Speaker, think of our republic, think of the Constitution, think of the oath that we all swore to protect and defend that Constitution, and vote against these partisan, reckless and dangerous articles of impeachment,” she concluded.
In a Republican House leadership press conference Tuesday night, Cheney, who serves as chairwoman of the House Republican Conference, said Democrats have abused their power, disregarded the facts and, ultimately, failed to prove their case against Trump.
“Nowhere in the Constitution does it say if you are angry at the president, or if you are angry with the opposing party, or you disagree with his policies, or you are afraid you can’t beat him in the next election, that you can just assume impeachable conduct,” Cheney said. “Yet that’s what the Democrats are doing.”
During the impeachment proceedings on the House floor Wednesday morning, Cheney called for a manual roll call, but her motion was denied.
“Members should be required to stand and identify themselves openly and on camera on the question of the adoption of these articles of impeachment,” Cheney said.
During an appearance on the Fox and Friends TV show Wednesday morning, Cheney also reaffirmed her previous stance on when she will announce whether she plans to run for the open U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo.
Cheney said she will make an announcement regarding her decision after the start of the new year. The U.S. Senate race already has one candidate – former Congresswoman Cynthia Lummis – vying for it.
While not as outspoken against impeachment as Cheney, one of Wyoming’s other delegates has expressed opposition to the proceedings. When Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced a formal impeachment investigation in September, U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., released a statement, arguing the country was better, safer and more prosperous under the Trump administration than it was before.
“Democrats have been working to undermine President Donald Trump since day one,” Barrasso said in a prepared statement. “Now, they are beating the impeachment drum and cranking up the outrage machine.”
Meanwhile, Enzi, who plans to retire at the end of his term, has remained relatively quiet as the process has unfolded.
Following Wednesday’s vote, impeachment proceedings will move to the Senate, which has a Republican majority.
