Chair Podlodowski’s Statement on Impeachment Vote

For Immediate Release | January 13, 2021

SEATTLE — Following the vote in the House of Representatives to impeach Donald Trump for his blatant abuse of power when inciting violence at the U.S. Capitol, Washington State Democratic Party Chair Tina Podlodowski released the following statement:

“By voting to impeach the president for his unlawful abuse of power and incitement of violence at the Capitol, our Democratic members of Congress continued their bold leadership of the last four years in opposition to Trump’s worst authoritarian impulses. We applaud their bravery in the wake of the terrorist attack incited by the president last week and could not be more proud of their commitment to our Constitution.

“We also want to recognize Republican Representatives Jaime Herrera Beutler and Dan Newhouse for finally demonstrating some semblance of a conscience by joining their Democratic colleagues in holding the president accountable for his actions. We wish they had done so before the violence inspired by the president they enabled for four years literally arrived on their doorstep, but we hope this is the beginning of a true reckoning with their role in promoting the extremist rhetoric espoused by Trump and his allies.

“As for Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers, there are no words strong enough to condemn the rank cowardice she has shown throughout Trump’s presidency and her refusal to confront the effect of enabling such violent rhetoric should surprise no one. Her inability to see beyond her own venal self-interest and put the interests of our country’s democracy ahead of avoiding a primary challenger in her next election demonstrates she is unfit to represent the people of Washington state in any capacity. This failure to uphold her oath of office will be the first and last line of any obituary written about her political career, and her actions today will never be forgotten. Nothing she has done in the last four years, including her dereliction of her Constitutional duty today, will save her from a primary challenge by conspiracy theorist Loren Culp or domestic terrorist Matt Shea and she deserves nothing less.”

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