Republican Reps. Greg Gianforte of Montana and Liz Cheney both indicated they will vote against the impeachment of President Donald Trump on Capitol Hill Wednesday.
House members have been speaking on the matter all day and are expected to hold a vote Wednesday night.
Here's the full text of Gianforte's speech on the House floor:
"Today this chamber is pushing through the most partisan, baseless articles of impeachment in our history. House Democrats' hyper-partisan impeachment has been a sham since day one. Driven by those whose bitter rage against President Trump has blinded their better judgment. The fact is they’ve resolved to overturn the results of the 2016 election the day President Trump won. Earlier this year Speaker Pelosi said, 'impeachment is so divisive to the country that unless there is something so compelling, and overwhelming, and bi-partisan I don’t think we should go down that path.' None of those standards have been met. None. The committee hearings were a scripted, substance free, made-for-TV show. They would be comedy if impeachment weren’t so serious and grave. Witnesses denied awareness of an impeachable offense and because the majority has failed to make the case for impeachment there is no bipartisanship. Compelling, overwhelming, bipartisan, Speaker Pelosi has not met her own criteria for impeachment. But here we are. Despite Democrats testing and tweaking their impeachment message the American people have rejected it. I will vote against this partisan impeachment sham. Let’s get back to the work that the American people sent us here. And on this sad day of an impeachment charade I yield back the balance of my time."
Here is Cheney speaking on the House floor:
Here are Cheney's full remarks:
"Thank you very much, Mr. Collins and Madam Speaker. I rise today on the floor of this magnificent chamber, the very heart of our Democratic Republic, and I would imagine, Madam Speaker, that every one of us in this chamber, regardless of party, understands, shares a common view, that being citizens of this great Republic is among life's most tremendous blessings. We all know that no force on earth is more powerful than the force of freedom. It is our miraculous constitutional system, Madam Speaker, defended by our men and women in uniform that has safeguarded that freedom for 230 years. Each one of us in this chamber bears a sacred duty, passed down to us through generations and affirmed in our oath of office to preserve and protect our Constitution. Madam Speaker, our nation's Framers recognized that this Republic is fragile and that extreme partisanship can be among the most severe threats to its survival. That is why, in Federalist 65, Alexander Hamilton wrote, “There will always be the greatest danger that impeachment, that an impeachment decision will be regulated more by the comparative strength of parties than by real demonstrations of innocence or guilt.
Here, Madam Speaker, our Democratic colleagues have been working to remove this President since the day he was elected, searching for an offense on which they could impeach. Failing to find one, Madam Speaker, they have decided to assume one. Rather than attempting to enforce their subpoenas in court, they have also decided to declare it a high crime and misdemeanor when the President of the United States asserts his constitutional privileges. The Democrats are asking members of this body to impeach despite the fact that they have presented no direct evidence of any impeachable offense. Let me say it one more time, Madam Speaker: They have presented no direct evidence of any impeachable offense. If anyone in this chamber still believes the Democrats have proven their case, I would urge those members to ask the Chairman of the Intelligence Committee, Mr. Schiff, why he failed to appear to answer questions about his report. Before members vote for impeachment, they might want to know why the author of the impeachment report will not defend it under questioning. If the House impeaches here, Madam Speaker, it will create exactly the type of risk the Framers cautioned us to avoid. It will mean that divided government can imperil a democratically elected President based on unproven allegations and innuendo in the absence of direct testimony.
Despite all the rhetoric you have heard today, Madam Speaker, passage of these articles of impeachment may permanently damage our Republic. From this day forward, a hyper-partisan, bare majority can cite this precedent to try to remove a future Commander in Chief. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, Madam Speaker, think of our Republic, think of the Constitution, think of the oath that we all swore to protect and defend that Constitution and vote against these partisan, reckless, and dangerous articles of impeachment. I yield back."
