South Dakota’s lone US House Representative joined national Republicans in opposing two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump.
The House impeached the president on Wednesday for abuse of power and obstructing congress.
Johnson took under thirty seconds on the house floor to explain his opposition, but expressed hope for the future.
“Impeachment is not in the best interest of this country,” Johnson says. “In fact, it has only deepend the partisan divide that truly plagues this country. When the sun comes up tomorrow, I pray with all my heart that the anger and the division in this chamber will give way to an honorableness and productivity and a time of working together. I yield back.”
Trump becomes the third president to get impeached. Democrats say Trump wanted Ukraine to conduct investigations that could help him in the 2020 election. The White House froze about $391 million dollars in military aid for Ukraine, but eventually released the money. Ukraine never agreed to investigations Trump wanted.
The articles of impeachment will now head to the Senate. Senator Mike Rounds says House Democrats failed to provide evidence to substantiate an impeachable offense. In the Republican-controlled Senate, Senator John Thune says the president will approach this trial with the seriousness and fairness it deserves.