U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick announced on the eve of the impeachment vote that he would oppose both articles.
Fitzpatrick said impeaching a president and overturning the results of an election is the second-most significant action Congress can take, after declaring war.
The congressman called impeachment “a constitutional nuclear option of last resort.”
Historical precedent demands that this only occurs in the most extreme of circumstances, and should happen only after a formal law enforcement investigation where independent, non-partisan factual findings of criminal activity are presented to Congress.
A former FBI supervisory special agent and special assistant U.S. attorney, Fitzpatrick said any legitimate investigation must be completely nonpartisan, must be 360 degrees in its scope, must leave no stone unturned, must not prejudge the outcome, must follow the facts wherever they lead, must report those facts with unimpeachable integrity and must show criminal activity.
“None of those elements have occurred here. This rushed impeachment inquiry was poisoned from the very start when House leadership made the irresponsible decision to place this investigation in the hands of Chairman Schiff’s Intelligence Committee rather than referring the matter to law enforcement to conduct the fact-finding,” he said.
“In addition to dangerously politicizing an incredibly important national security committee, which will take years to recover from, this irresponsible decision broke with long-standing historical precedent in our nation regarding impeachment inquiries on multiple fronts.”
Fitzpatrick recalled the words of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who in March told the Washington Post, “Impeachment is so divisive to the country that unless there’s something so compelling and overwhelming and bipartisan, I don’t think we should go down that path, because it divides the country.”
The congressman also recalled the words of House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, who said, “There must never be a narrowly voted impeachment or an impeachment substantially supported by one of our major political parties and largely opposed by the other. Such an impeachment would lack legitimacy, would produce divisiveness and bitterness in our politics for years to come. And will call into question the very legitimacy of our political institutions.”
Fitzpatrick believes President Trump’s call with Ukraine President Zelensky showed “poor judgment,” but rejects impeachment proceedings.
“This impeachment inquiry has violated every investigative principle, has violated Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Nadler’s own impeachment standard, has been entirely partisan, and has been wholly divisive,” he said. “From the very start, it was never designed by House leadership to be a genuine fact-finding mission. By pursuing an entirely partisan path with an artificial timeline and a predetermined outcome, and with the issue at hand being as serious as the overturning of the results of an election, House leadership has set a very dangerous precedent for our nation, and one which I will not support.” ••
