WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday night, becoming only the third American chief executive to be formally charged under the Constitution’s ultimate remedy for high crimes and misdemeanors.
The historic vote split along party lines, much the way it has divided the nation, over a charge that the 45th president abused the power of his office by enlisting a foreign government to investigate a political rival ahead of the 2020 election. The House then approved a second charge, that he obstructed Congress in its investigation.
The articles of impeachment, the political equivalent of an indictment, now go to the Senate for trial. If Trump is acquitted by the Republican-led chamber, as expected, he still would have to run for reelection carrying the enduring stain of impeachment on his purposely disruptive presidency.
He saw the blame flowing the other direction. He told a political rally in Michigan that “crazy Nancy Pelosi’s House Democrats have branded themselves with an eternal mark of shame.”
The votes were 230 for impeachment and 197 against on the first count, 229-198 on the second.
Hawaii’s Democratic representatives did not vote in unison, however.
Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, a presidential candidate whose district includes rural Oahu and the neighbor islands, including Hawaii Island, voted present on both. Democratic Rep. Ed Case, who represents the urban core of Honolulu, voted to impeach the president on both articles.
Gabbard was the only member of the U.S. House to vote “present,” which neither opposed nor supported impeachment. The representative late Tuesday had introduced a censure resolution to publicly reprimand the president for putting personal political gain over national interest, rather than impeachment.
“After doing my due diligence in reviewing the 658-page impeachment report, I came to the conclusion that I could not in good conscience vote either yes or no. I am standing in the center and have decided to vote Present. I could not in good conscience vote against impeachment because I believe President Trump is guilty of wrongdoing,” a statement attributed to Gabbard reads. “I also could not in good conscience vote for impeachment because removal of a sitting President must not be the culmination of a partisan process, fueled by tribal animosities that have so gravely divided our country.”
Case followed through Wednesday on his Monday announcement of his intention to vote to impeach the president.
“At the end of the day, I believe that our President did abuse his power by attempting to manipulate our country’s foreign policy for his own personal political gain, did obstruct the constitutional duties of Congress, and does warrant impeachment for his actions,” the statement read. “I further believe that for Congress to sanction his actions by turning away from our own constitutional role and duty would itself betray our Constitution and have the most serious consequences to our country and system of government both today and for generations.”
Democrats led Wednesday night’s voting, framed in what many said was their duty to protect the Constitution and uphold the nation’s system of checks and balances. Republicans stood by their party’s leader, who has frequently tested the bounds of civic norms. Trump called the whole affair a “witch hunt,” a “hoax” and a “sham,” and sometimes all three.
The trial is expected to begin in January in the Senate, where a vote of two-thirds is necessary for conviction. While Democrats had the majority in the House to impeach Trump, Republicans control the Senate and few if any are expected to diverge from plans to acquit the president ahead of early state election-year primary voting.
Hawaii’s Democratic senators, Sens. Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz, both called for the House impeachment inquiry. On Wednesday, Schatz said he would fully consider the allegations and serve as a fair juror.
Pelosi, once reluctant to lead Democrats into a partisan impeachment, gaveled both votes closed, risking her majority and speakership to follow the effort to its House conclusion.
“Today we are here to defend democracy for the people,” she said earlier during floor debate.
Trump, who began Wednesday tweeting his anger at the proceedings, pumped his fist before an evening rally in Battle Creek, Michigan, boasting of “tremendous support” in the Republican Party and saying, “By the way it doesn’t feel like I’m being impeached.”
No Republicans voted for impeachment, and Democrats had only slight defections on their side. Voting was conducted manually with ballots, to mark the moment.
The House impeachment resolution laid out in stark terms the two articles of impeachment against Trump stemming from his July phone call when he asked the Ukraine president for a “favor” — to announce it was investigating Democrats ahead of the 2020 election. He also pushed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to probe unsubstantiated corruption allegations against Joe Biden, the former vice president and 2020 White House contender.
At the time, Zelenskiy, a young comedian newly elected to politics, was seeking a coveted White House visit to show backing from the U.S. ally as it confronts a hostile Russia at its border. He was also counting on $391 million in military aid already approved by Congress. The White House delayed the funds, but Trump eventually released the money once Congress intervened.
Narrow in scope but broad in its charge, the resolution said the president “betrayed the nation by abusing his high office to enlist a foreign power in corrupting democratic elections,” and then obstructed Congress’ oversight like “no president” in U.S. history.
“President Trump, by such conduct, has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to national security and the Constitution if allowed to remain in office,” it said.
West Hawaii Today staff and The Honolulu Star-Advertiser contributed to this report.