Congressman Joe Neguse Opening Statement at Judiciary Committee Impeachment Markup

Washington, D.C.—Tonight, in a historic markup in the House Judiciary Committee, Congressman Joe Neguse gave the following opening remarks:

“I’d like to begin tonight by speaking directly to the Americans listening and watching who may disagree with the steps this Committee is taking. I hope you’ll understand we are proceeding on this path truly out of love for our country. We are your neighbors, we are your colleagues, your fellow worshipers, and we are all citizens of the greatest nation on earth. We are blessed to live in a country where our similarities far outweigh our differences.”

“My parents immigrated to this country and every day, I am grateful to them for their decision, and to the United States of America for giving us the opportunity to live the American Dream. My parents came to this country because they wanted their children to grow up in a place that is free. A country where leaders respect the rule of law and don’t use the power of government to target political opponents. A country with fair elections, and where everyone has the right to vote.”

“Thomas Paine, described voting as “the primary right by which other rights are protected.”Our sacred right to a free and fair election is ingrained in our constitution. It’s a right offered to every American, no matter their background. And yet today, that right is under attack like never before.”

“In 2016, Russia interfered in our elections in “sweeping and systematic” fashion. And as we now know, the Trump campaign welcomed at that time that interference, and now, the President of the United States has solicited the interference of a foreign government in the 2020 presidential election for his own advantage. President Trump abused his power, and then, engaged in a wholesale obstruction of Congress to cover it up.”

“The fact remains that in the history of our republic, no president has ever ordered such a complete defiance of an impeachment inquiry, until now.”

“If anything is clear, it is this: every American deserves to know that their President will not endanger our national security, that he or she won’t seek to use their power to undermine our free and fair elections, and that they won’t tap a foreign government to help tip the scales in their favor.”

“The Framers of the constitution prescribed impeachment in that sacred document because they feared a moment like this one, and the Articles of Impeachment before us are our mechanism for accountability.”

“So ultimately we must move forward with the solemn and heavy work before us.”

I hope that as we do so, while some may agree with this process and some may oppose it, everyone will remember that at the end of the day, each and every one of us are Americans. We all treasure the same flag. We all revere the same constitution that this committee is working so hard to uphold.”

“Like many of my colleagues, when I ran for Congress, I knew that the hardest part would be being away my wife and my infant daughter. My daughter is 15 months old now, and I think a lot about the world she will inherit. She’s not old enough to understand the proceedings before us today, but one day she will be. One day, I hope that she will know that this Committee had an obligation to defend our democracy, to honor our oaths, and to uphold the rule of law. So I will support the Articles of Impeachment before us, because it is what the constitution requires of us and it is what my conscience demands, and I hope and I pray that my colleagues will do the same.”