Tag: Rep. Sharice Davids

In Missouri and Kansas, party predicted whether lawmakers backed Trump’s second impeachment


The Senate is expected to finish the trial after Joe Biden is sworn in as president. Missouri and Kansas senators don’t support impeachment.

The House voted to impeach President Donald Trump for a second time Jan. 13, 2021. (From C-Span)

by Aviva Okeson-Haberman, Kansas News Service


The Missouri and Kansas congressional delegations once again split among party lines Wednesday over whether to impeach President Donald Trump, a second time, for any role he played whipping up a mob to storm the U.S. Capitol.


Democrats blame Trump for inciting a riot that resulted in five deaths and contend that his remaining week in office poses a threat to national security.

Republicans dismissed the effort as part of an ongoing political vendetta, one that would further divide the nation at a time when Trump is on his way out.


Kansas Republican Reps. Tracey Mann, Jake LaTurner and Ron Estes voted against impeachment while Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids was the lone member of the Kansas delegation supporting impeachment. In Missouri, Democrats Reps. Emanuel Cleaver and Cori Bush voted to impeach the president. Republicans Reps. Vicky Hartzler, Sam Graves, Billy Long, Blaine Luetkemeyer, Ann Wagner and Jason Smith opposed the effort.


The partisan divide offers another sign that after a violent attack at the national Capitol last week, Democrats and Republicans don’t agree on a path forward for the country.


Cleaver, the Kansas City Democrat, argued that failing to hold Trump accountable would be an act of political timidity rather than courage.


“No one is expected to be a lion day after day after day,” Cleaver said. “But on this day, lions are required.”


Mann, a western Kansas Republican, said he voted against impeaching the president because removing Trump from office would “lead to further division in our great nation and add to the political chaos.”


“I will not oversee the slow decline of our nation, but instead will work to ensure a bright future for our children and grandchildren,” Tracey Mann said on Twitter.


Hartzler, a Missouri Republican, echoed the criticism that Democrats were dividing the country.


“This latest push by Speaker Pelosi and Democrats to impeach a duly-elected president seven days shy of leaving office does nothing to bridge this gap or work towards President-elect Biden’s declared ‘Unity’ message, instead further dividing our nation,” Hartzler said in a statement.

Davids, the Kansas Democrat representing Johnson and Wyandotte counties, voted for impeachment because she said the country can’t move forward without accountability.


“He is a clear and present danger to our safety, security and our democracy,” Davids said in a Twitter video.

The debate over impeachment didn’t include any witnesses. Estes said in a statement that “turns an important constitutional provision created by the founders into a partisan stunt.”


Bush, a Democrat from St. Louis, said Trump incited a “white supremacist insurrection.”


“We have a mandate to legislate in defense of Black lives,” Bush said during debate over the impeachment. “The first step in that process is to root out white supremacy — starting with impeaching the white supremacist-in-chief.”


The Senate is not expected to begin the impeachment trial before Jan. 19, according to The New York Times. The four Missouri and Kansas senators, all Republicans, are not expected to vote to convict. Both Missouri’s U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley and Kansas’ U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall challenged president-elect Joe Biden’s win. U.S. Sens. Roy Blunt and Jerry Moran supported upholding the Electoral College votes, although neither is likely to split from their party to convict Trump.


Blunt told CBS News last weekend that the president’s behavior leading up to the insurrection was “clearly reckless,” but he didn’t support Trump resigning or an impeachment.


“The president touched the hot stove on Wednesday and is unlikely to touch it again,” Blunt said.

Aviva Okeson-Haberman is the Missouri government and politics reporter at KCUR 89.3. Email her at [email protected].
The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy. Kansas News Service stories and photos may be republished by news media at no cost with proper attribution and a link to ksnewsservice.org.

See more at https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2021-01-13/in-missouri-and-kansas-party-predicts-whether-lawmakers-back-trumps-second-impeachment.

Rep. Davids describes violence at the U.S. Capitol, a ‘shameful and grotesque attack on our democracy’

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-3rd Dist., today issued a statement on Wednesday’s violence at the U.S. Capitol:

“Yesterday was one of the darkest days in our nation’s recent history. The violence we saw at the Capitol complex was a shameful and grotesque attack on our democracy that will leave an indelible stain on our country.

“Like many of you, I feel a range of emotions: anger at those who carried out this attack, sadness over the deep division in our country, shock that this was even possible, gratitude for my safety and that of those around me, and resolved with my fellow lawmakers who continued our constitutional duties last night.

“The insurrectionists who stormed the Capitol must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Anything less is a threat to the republic and to the rule of law in this country.

“By inciting this riot, President Trump has made it clear that he is unable to faithfully discharge the powers and duties of his office. That is why I’m calling on the U.S. Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment now. If the Cabinet Secretaries and Vice President do not act, we must swiftly impeach the President and remove him from office. Our democracy, safety, and security are at stake.

“We must also ensure accountability of the elected officials who not only condoned, but encouraged this violence and even sought to fundraise off of it. They share culpability with the President for the assault on our democracy yesterday.

“There are many questions that deserve answers about the complete security breakdown at the Capitol. We were told that U.S. Capitol Police were prepared for this, and they very clearly were not. Many individual Capitol Police officers acted heroically to help bring members, journalists, and staff to safety. But the fact that this happened in the first place is a systemic failure and breakdown of security protocols.

“There was also a clear bias in the treatment of this violent mob compared to the many folks – including women, people of color, and people with disabilities – who have peacefully protested at the Capitol. And this must be addressed.

“So, where do we go from here? I don’t pretend to have all the answers about how we move forward. But I do know this: yesterday was an attack on our democracy, and our democracy prevailed.

“Last night, in the very room that had been desecrated just hours before, I joined my colleagues to certify the results of the election and affirm President-Elect Joe Biden’s victory. In 13 days, Biden will be sworn in and begin the hard work of healing our country after four years of chaos and division, with the help of a Democrat-led House and Senate. I look forward to joining him in that effort.

“These are dark days but our democracy must and will prevail.”

Rep. Davids calls for President’s removal under 25th Amendment

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-3rd Dist., is calling on the cabinet to use the 25th Amendment to remove President Donald Trump from office.

Her statement was made in response to the insurrection on Wednesday at the U.S. Capitol.

“For the first time in history we have a President who should be impeached twice but because of the time constraints and inaction of Senate Republicans, I urge the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment now,” Rep. Davids said in a statement.

“We will have a new President on January 20, but we cannot trust Donald Trump to uphold his oath of office over the next 14 days. Our democracy, safety, and security is at stake.”