WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Dave Joyce (OH-14) issued the following statement regarding his opposition to the Articles of Impeachment of President Donald J. Trump:

“As a former prosecutor, I know that any legitimate investigation must be free of bias, cannot predetermine the outcome and must present factual evidence of wrongdoing. These standards also apply to impeachment, which as history illustrates, is not to be invoked lightly. Impeachment was never intended to be a tool of political vengeance. 

“However, this impeachment inquiry has operated on a rushed, artificial timeline set by Speaker Pelosi where due process was neglected, the majority of the testimony provided was secondhand, partisan presumptions were presented as facts and proof of impeachable acts was not articulated. If I were to vote in favor of the two articles of impeachment today, I would be setting a dangerous precedent for our country moving forward.

“What’s worse is that this process to undermine the President played out at the expense of the American people, halting progress on critical issues. It is up to all of us, no matter which side of the aisle we may fall on, to stop the partisan bickering and work across party lines to deliver results for our constituents. The people of Northeast Ohio sent me to Washington to fight for solutions to the issues that impact them and their families, like combating the opioid epidemic, restoring the Great Lakes, expanding jobs and opportunity, lifting wages and ensuring our veterans get the health care they deserve. No amount of partisan politics will stop me from continuing to do just that.”

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