Democrat Senator Doug Jones, who represents the deep red state of Alabama, has made a decision about whether he will vote to convict President Trump on two articles of impeachment.
"Having done my best to see through the fog of partisanship, I am deeply troubled by the arguments put forth by the President’s lawyers in favor of virtually unchecked presidential power. In this case, the evidence clearly proves the President used the weight of his office and that of the United States government to seek to coerce a foreign government to interfere in our election for his personal political benefit," Jones released in a statement. "The President’s actions placed his personal interests well above the national interests and threatened the security of the United States, our allies in Europe, and our ally Ukraine. His actions were more than simply inappropriate. They were an abuse of power. With impeachment as the only check on such presidential wrongdoing, I felt I must vote to convict on the first charge of abuse of power."
“The second article of impeachment, obstruction of Congress, gave me even more pause. I have struggled to understand the House’s strategy in their pursuit of documents and witnesses and wished they had done more. However, after careful consideration of the evidence developed in the hearings, the public disclosures, the legal precedents, and the trial, I believe the President deliberately and unconstitutionally obstructed Congress by refusing to cooperate with the investigation in any way," he continued. "The gravity of this moment, the seriousness of the charges, and the implications for future presidencies and Congresses all contributed to the difficulty with which I have arrived at my decision."
Before Jones won his election against Roy Moore in 2017, the Senate seat was held by former Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Late last year Sessions announced he will run against Jones in a bid to reclaim his previous position.
In the meantime, this Democrat from Alabama has had enough.
— Cheese Crackers (@Why45huh) February 5, 2020