Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for High Crimes and Misdemeanors

Floor Speech

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Mr. STEUBE. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. For 3 years, Democratic Members of this body and the mainstream media lied to the American people that the Trump campaign colluded and conspired with Russia--for years--after an exhaustive investigation was found that there was no evidence that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia.

Should Democratic Members of this body resign for lying to the American people repeatedly and sowing division and dissension all across America? And it was all a lie.

Madam Speaker, you have brought one Article of Impeachment to the floor, and your one allegation alleges: ``Donald John Trump engaged in high crimes and misdemeanors by inciting violence against the Government of United States.''

In D.C., it is a crime to ``intentionally or recklessly act in such a manner to cause another person to be in reasonable fear and to incite or provoke violence when there is a likelihood that such violence will ensue.''

There was no language in the President's speech that incited or provoked violence. In fact, at around the 18-minute mark, he stated: ``Peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.''

You may think that he is inciting violence because he believes there was election fraud. That is his opinion, and he is entitled to that opinion, just like all of you were entitled to your false and fraudulent opinion that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia.

The legal elements of incitement are based on the Supreme Court case Brandenburg v. Ohio, in which the Supreme Court set the standard for speech that could be prosecuted without violating the First Amendment. Brandenburg's speech called for violence against groups of Americans, and the Court found that Brandenburg's comments were not directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action.

The Court found that it was protected speech, and he was calling for violence. That is the current law of the land.

The President didn't even mention violence last Wednesday, much less provoke or incite it. There was no crime committed; therefore, no basis for impeachment, as you need a high crime or misdemeanor for a basis.

You have created a mockery out of the impeachment process, and I urge all my colleagues to stand against it and fight the latest fraud being perpetrated against the American people by the radical left.

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