Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) said on Thursday that House Democrats’ ongoing inquiry into the president’s dealings in the Ukraine is “about to push this country to a civil war if they were to get their wishes.”
Gohmert, speaking after the House voted along party lines to approve a measure establishing procedures for the impeachment process, added, “And if there’s one thing I don’t want to see in my lifetime, I don’t want to ever have participation in, it’s a civil war. Some historian, I don’t remember who, said, guns are only involved in the last phase of a civil war.”
During his address on the House floor Thursday afternoon, Gohmert said that while some say the vote “was very important,” he believes it “didn’t do so much.”
The Texas Republican further contended that he is still of the opinion that the House will “not end up having a vote in this chamber on whether or not to actually impeach President Trump because if that happens, it goes to the Senate,” where he predicted it would get a “slam dunk down” on the basis of “massive failure of due process, as well as no evidence, no direct evidence of any wrongdoing.”
He went on to call the House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry into Trump a “sham” and echoed concerns from other Republicans about the Democratic-led House closing hearings and depositions for the ongoing inquiry off to just members serving on select committees, of which Gohmert is not a member.
Gohmert also complained that there were “armed guards outside of the sensitive, compartmented information facility, the SCIF,” where depositions from witnesses testifying as part of the inquiry took place.
“Never in the history of this country have we had such gross unfairness that one party would put armed guards with guns to prevent the duly authorized people from being able to hear the witnesses and see them for themselves,” he continued.
The vote on Thursday marked a major step in the House Democrats’ path to impeachment and sets up procedures for open hearings and testimonies for the inquiry as Democrats aim to shift part of the process into the public view in the coming weeks.
The House passed the measure in a 232-196 vote largely along party lines, with no Republicans voting in favor in the legislation.
