ENGEL STATEMENT ON THE END OF SENATE REPUBLICANS’ SHAM TRIAL

Washington—Representative Eliot L. Engel, Chairman of the House Committee
on Foreign Affairs, today made the following statement:

“There’s
no such thing as an acquittal when you don’t have a real trial. The
Senate’s sham process was nothing more than an extension of the
President’s coverup.
Today’s vote was the ultimate demonstration that the Party of Lincoln
has become the Party of Trump, and that for Republican lawmakers—with
one courageous exception—there’s no duty or oath higher than showing
loyalty to this President.

“The
evidence is overwhelming that the President deserved to be impeached
and removed. His abuse of power was blatant. His obstruction of a
legitimate congressional
inquiry was unprecedented; not even Richard Nixon went so far. There
can be no justification for his actions. Those who voted not to remove
him acted out of sheer partisanship and did damage to the institutions
that underpin our democracy.

“Despite
the Senate Republicans’ near total abdication of their responsibility,
the House will not go along with the notion that this President is above
the law.
The Foreign Affairs Committee will push ahead with our oversight
efforts to hold this administration accountable and to demonstrate to
the American people that some of us in Washington still believe in the
Constitution and the rule of law.”