Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) asked Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to vote to dismiss the article of impeachment against President Donald Trump that was passed in the House last week.
Graham cautioned that the dismissal of the impeachment in the Senate once it’s received is vital for the healing of our nation.
“My letter to Democratic Leader Schumer,” the South Carolina Republican captioned his lengthy letter via Twitter. “The Senate should vote to dismiss the article of impeachment once it is received in the Senate. We will be delaying indefinitely, if not forever, the healing of this great Nation if we do otherwise.”
“[I]n your first act as majority leader, rather than begin the national healing that the country so desperately yearns for, you seek vengeance and political retaliation instead,” Graham wrote to Schumer. “While the vice president and Senate Republicans rejected unconstitutional actions, you seek to force upon the Senate, what would itself be but one more unconstitutional action in this disgraceful saga — the impeachment trial of a former president.”
“The Senate’s attempt to disqualify a president from future office who is no longer in office, would be an unconstitutional act of political vengeance, not a righteous constitutional act to protect the nation by removal of an incumbent president,” he continued. “Such a gratuitous, meaningless effort by the Senate of the United States is neither worthy of our great institution, nor a service to the nation and the American people. It will incite further division.”
“The Senate should vote to dismiss the article of impeachment once it is received in the Senate. We will be delaying indefinitely, if not forever, the healing of this great nation if we do otherwise,” Graham closed. “Our obligation to the people we represent is clear. History will judge us harshly, as it should, if we do not rise to the occasion of this historic moment in our history.”
My letter to Democratic Leader Schumer.
The Senate should vote to dismiss the article of impeachment once it is received in the Senate. We will be delaying indefinitely, if not forever, the healing of this great Nation if we do otherwise. pic.twitter.com/fjVcf7iVPf
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) January 17, 2021
Despite his move to dismiss the article of impeachment, Graham made it clear following the breach at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 that his “journey” with President Trump was over.
“I hate it to end this way. Oh my God, I hate it,” Graham said. “From my point of view, he’s been a consequential president. But today, first thing you’ll see. All I can say is, count me out. Enough is enough. I’ve tried to be helpful.”
“He’s (Joe Biden) the legitimate President of the United States,” the senator added. “I cannot convince people, certain groups, by my words. But I will tell you by my actions that I, above all others in this body, need to say this, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are lawfully elected and will become the president and vice president of the United States on Jan. 20.”
Last week, Graham warned his colleagues not to “legitimize” the rushed and divisive impeachment.
“To my Republican colleagues who legitimize this process, you are doing great damage not only to the country, the future of the presidency, but also to the party. … The individuals who participated in the storming of the Capitol should be met with the full force of the law. They should and will be held accountable,” he said in the statement.