WASHINGTON — Rep. Greg Pence, R-Indiana, voted against a House resolution that authorizes the next phase of the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump.
In a 232-196 vote largely split along party lines Thursday, the House passed an eight-page resolution, which calls for open hearings and requires the House Intelligence Committee to submit a report outlining its findings and recommendation, with a final recommendation on impeachment left to the Judiciary Committee.
It was the third time in modern U.S. history that the House has formalized an impeachment inquiry against a sitting president.
Under the terms of the resolution, Republicans would be allowed to request subpoenas, but such requests would ultimately be subject to a vote by the full committee, which Democrats control as the House majority.
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Additionally, the resolution authorizes the House Foreign Affairs Committee, of which Pence is a member, to continue its ongoing investigation as part of the Trump impeachment inquiry.
The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Committees on Ways and Means, Financial Services, the Judiciary and Oversight and Reform also have been authorized to continue their investigations as part of the impeachment inquiry.
Pence has called the impeachment inquiry a “sham” and a “partisan power grab,” in statements to the media. If Trump is removed from office, Pence’s brother and Columbus native, Vice President Mike Pence, would be sworn in as president.
After the vote, Rep. Pence took to Twitter to lash out at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, and the impeachment inquiry, which he characterized as a “Communist-style sham.”
“This is a total sham and her latest attempt to undo the 2016 election,” Pence said in a series of tweets. “@realDonaldTrump kept his promise to #DrainTheSwamp, triggering Nancy Pelosi and (Rep.) Adam Schiff (D-California) to attempt this unprecedented power grab.”
The vote came as amid complaints from Trump and his Republicans allies that the month-long impeachment process is illegitimate and unfair, the The Associated Press reported.
The impeachment investigation is focused on Trump’s efforts to push Ukraine to investigate his Democratic political opponents by withholding military aid and an Oval Office meeting requested by the country’s new president, wire reports state.
At the center of the inquiry is Trump’s July 25 call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in which he asked for a “favor” — to investigate a Democratic rival for president, according to wire reports. Democrats say the request and other actions by the administration to push Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his family amounted to a quid pro quo for important military aid for Ukraine, providing sufficient grounds for impeachment.
Trump has denied all wrongdoing, characterizing the call as both “beautiful” and also “nothing.”
Pelosi has said the vote was taken “to eliminate any doubt” about the process as the Trump administration tries to block witnesses and withhold documents during the investigation, according to wire reports.
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Visit congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-resolution/660/text to read the full text of the resolution passed by the House.
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Visit pence.house.gov or call 202-225-3021 to contact Rep. Greg Pence’s office.
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Peter Visclosky (D) – Yes
Jackie Walorski (R) – No
Jim Banks (R) – No
James Baird (R) – No
Susan Brooks (R) – No
Greg Pence (R) – No
André Carson (D) – Yes
Larry Bucshon (R) – No
Trey Hollingsworth (R) – No
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For more on the Trump impeachment investigation, see Page A3.
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