WASHINGTON — Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., said Tuesday he will vote to impeach President Donald Trump, saying there is “no doubt in my mind that the President of the United States broke his oath of office and incited” the Jan. 6 insurrection that left five dead.
Kinzinger joins Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wy., the number three Republican in House leadership, Rep. John Katko, R-N.Y., Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., and Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash., in announcing they will join with Democrats to support the Article of Impeachment the House is expected to debate and pass Wednesday, with a week left to Trump’s term.
Kinzinger, who represents a district south of Chicago, earlier called for the 25th Amendment to be invoked to remove Trump from office. Kinzinger was the only Republican to vote with Democrats on a resolution calling Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th.
With Vice President Mike Pence taking the 25th Amendment off the table Tuesday, Kinzinger said in a statement, “There is no doubt in my mind that the President of the United States broke his oath of office and incited this insurrection.”
Kinzinger said Trump “used his position in the Executive to attack the Legislative. So in assessing the articles of impeachment brought before the House, I must consider: if these actions—the Article II branch inciting a deadly insurrection against the Article I branch—are not worthy of impeachment, then what is an impeachable offense? I will vote in favor of impeachment.”
In the Illinois delegation, both Democratic Senators, Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, support impeachment, as do all 13 Democratic House members.
All 13 are co-sponsors of the impeachment resolution.
Of the five House Illinois Republicans, only Kinzinger is headed to a yes vote on impeachment.
GOP Reps. Mary Miller and Mike Bost voted to oppose the Electoral College vote locking up the presidency for Joe Biden. GOP Reps. Darin LaHood, Rodney Davis, Bost and Miller are expected no votes.
Said Miller in a statement, “I will oppose any articles set forth to impeach our President and pray for the immediate peace we need.”
