Tulsi Gabbard Explains Her Impeachment Vote That Enraged Fellow Democrats
Democratic presidential candidate and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard explained Thursday how “a deep love of country” motivated her to vote “present” on Wednesday’s impeachment of President Donald Trump.
Gabbard was the sole Democrat to vote “present,” causing a stir among media and fellow lawmakers.
She explained the decision Thursday on The Hill’s “Rising With Krystal Ball & Saagar Enjeti.”
“My motivation is always coming from a deep love of country,” Gabbard said. “And that’s where, after doing my due diligence and going through the exhaustive report that was put out … I came to the conclusion that I could not, in good conscience, vote either yes or no.”
“A ‘no’ vote was unacceptable to me because Donald Trump is absolutely guilty of wrongdoing,” she continued. “A ‘yes’ vote was unacceptable to me because impeachment should never come about as a culmination of a highly partisan process. This is something our founders warned us about.”
The Hawaii congresswoman noted that the decision to remove the president from office “must be in the hands of voters.”
She added that she believes “strongly” in her decision to vote present, telling co-hosts Ball and Enjeti that she was “taking a stand for the center” as well as democracy.
Gabbard also quashed rumors that she plans to run as a third-party candidate for president.
She called them “ridiculous” and “baseless,” suggesting that Americans “listen to what she’s saying.”
“Our country is torn apart. This impeachment process has only further divided an already divided country,” Gabbard said. “I’m running for president to try to bring people together, so that working side-by-side we can usher in a bright future.”
The congresswoman took a stand against the president during Thursday’s interview as well, despite not voting for impeachment Wednesday evening.
She said that there is “no question” Trump is “unfit to serve as president.”
“I am running for president to defeat him for that reason,” Gabbard said before listing various things that she believes he has done wrong.
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