DENVER – Congresswoman Diana DeGette and Congressman Joe Neguse were picked by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as two of the nine impeachment managers that would present the case in another impeachment trial for President Donald Trump in the Senate.
Should President Trump be impeached by the House Wednesday and his impeachment head to a Senate trial, it would mean that three of Colorado four Democratic members of the House of Representatives had been impeachment managers at one of Trump’s two separate trials.
Rep. Jason Crow was one of the managers last year when the Senate narrowly decided not to convict Trump and remove him from office. DeGette presided over 11 hours of the previous impeachment proceedings in the House.
“Tonight, I have the solemn privilege of naming the Managers of the impeachment trial of Donald Trump,” Pelosi said in a statement. “It is their constitutional and patriotic duty to present the case for the President’s impeachment and removal. They will do so guided by their great love of country, determination to protect our democracy and loyalty to our oath to the Constitution. Our Managers will honor their duty to defend democracy For The People with great solemnity, prayerfulness and urgency.”
After Vice President Mike Pence rebuffed calls to invoke the 25th Amendment Tuesday, the House is expected to vote Wednesday morning on the lone article of impeachment for Trump, which charges him with “incitement of insurrection” for the riot that left five people dead, including a police officer. A second police officer died by suicide after the events, which Democrats and some Republicans have said were urged by Trump and some of his supporters.
DeGette, Neguse and Crow have all signed on as cosponsors to the impeachment resolution, according to Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I. The House Judiciary Committee released its report in support of Trump's impeachment Tuesday.
Rep. Ed Perlmutter, D-Colo., said late last week he was “considering all constitutional options to remove Trump from office.”
Colorado’s Republican members of Congress – Reps. Ken Buck, Doug Lamborn and Lauren Boebert – have all pushed back against impeachment and called for “unity” in the wake of the riots, which Boebert and Lamborn have faced calls to resign over after they opposed the certification of the electoral votes and as Boebert tweeted from the Capitol as it was breached.
Neguse said in a statement that he would vote to impeach Trump and said it was “profoundly clear” that last Wednesday’s events “would not have happened without President Trump’s incitement.”
“The President has betrayed his oath of office, and he is no longer fit to serve. His removal is of the highest urgency. Impeachment is a solemn duty, and one I don’t take lightly. Yet, at our present moment, it is our only option,” Neguse said. “When the House votes to impeach President Trump for inciting insurrection on our nation’s capital, I will vote yes. And it will be my humble honor to serve as an impeachment manager for the Senate trial and finish the work I began the morning of January 6th to defend our constitution.”
DeGette said she was honored to have been chosen by Pelosi.
“I am honored that Speaker Pelosi has asked me to serve as an impeachment manager and help defend our Democracy during this critical moment in our nation’s history,” she said in a statement. “There is no doubt that through his actions in recent weeks, President Trump is now one of the single greatest threats to the safety and security of our nation. It’s important, for the sake of our Democracy and the future health of our nation, that he be held fully responsible for his crimes. He should be removed from office immediately and I look forward to doing my part to ensure that happens as soon as possible."
Even if Trump is again impeached – which is becoming more likely after several Republican House members said Tuesday they would support such a move – the Senate is in recess until Jan. 19, so a trial would likely not begin until after Trump is out of office on Jan. 20. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., told Denver7 Friday he supported impeachment if other tactics failed and said the Senate was discussing whether or not the constitution allowed for Trump to be convicted in the Senate after he is out of office. Sen. John Hickenlooper has said he supported “any option” to remove Trump from office.
According to the Washington Post and New York Times, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has told others he believes Trump probably committed impeachable offenses but hasn’t decided how he might vote in a potential trial. And a former appeals court judge wrote in the Washington Post Tuesday that he believes a Senate trial after Jan. 20 would be unconstitutional.
Denver7 plans to carry Wednesday’s impeachment proceedings live on our website, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Android TV streaming apps starting at 7 a.m. MT.
