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Amodei reviewing articles of impeachment

Humberto Sanchez
Humberto Sanchez
CongressGovernment
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Mark Amodei in a light shirt, leaned back in a chair

Republican Rep. Mark Amodei said he plans to do a thorough review of the two articles of impeachment released by House Democratic leaders before deciding how to vote, but added that the charge of obstruction of Congress strikes him as something that is general and could have applied to the previous administration.

“I'm gonna do my homework,” Amodei said between votes on the House floor Tuesday. “I'm going to give it its full due, I'm not going to dismiss...but those are pretty general things to start out.”

Amodei served on the House Judiciary Committee for more than three years beginning in late 2011 during a time the panel investigated President Barack Obama’s administration, including Attorney General Eric Holder. 

In 2012, the GOP-controlled House held Holder in contempt of Congress, the first time Congress had done so, over a controversial gun-trafficking sting, known as Fast and Furious. The GOP argued that Holder withheld documents from Congress. The Republicans also sued Holder over the documents and it took seven years for the case to be settled.

“That's an interesting standard as the guy who sat on Judiciary,” Amodei said of the obstruction of Congress charge. “Hell, we sued him. We held him in contempt."

Amodei said he plans to lean on his panel experience as he reads over the articles, which along with obstruction of Congress, includes a separate charge of abuse of power against President Donald Trump.

“I'm not telling you that that's going to make any decisions for me, but I am going to take into account what I experienced as a member of Judiciary in a Republican House with the previous administration,” Amodei said.

Amodei supports Congress exercising its oversight authority, but has been critical of the Democrats’ impeachment inquiry.

On the other side of the aisle, Rep. Dina Titus, a Democrat, said she plans to vote for the two articles.

“The two articles of impeachment introduced today are intended to prevent President Trump from continuing to ignore the Constitution and undermine our democracy. I will vote for both,” Titus said.

The lawmaker’s comments come after Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democratic leaders of the committees of jurisdiction unveiled the two articles at a press conference Tuesday morning. 

A vote by the House is expected next week. Approval of the articles would trigger a trial in the Senate, likely in January. A two-thirds Senate vote would be required to remove Trump, but there do not appear to be 20 Republicans who would be needed to vote with all 47 Democrats to clear the 67-vote hurdle.

Democrats argue that Trump violated his oath of office by soliciting interference in the 2020 election from Ukraine during a July 25 phone call with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

But most Republicans and Trump deny that there was any wrongdoing. 

“WITCH HUNT!” Trump tweeted during the Democrats' press conference. 

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