Hawaii Democrat Tulsi Gabbard broke ranks with her party and voted “present” on two articles of impeachment, slamming the process as “partisan.” The vote drew swift condemnation from Twitter’s more progressive quarters.
Voting “present” instead of “yes” or “no” in Wednesday’s full House vote for two impeachment articles passed in committee last week, Gabbard became one of only a tiny minority of Democrats to swim against the current in her own party.
“I could not in good conscience vote for impeachment because removal of a sitting President must not be the culmination of a partisan process, fueled by tribal animosities that have so gravely divided our country,” Gabbard said in a lengthy statement after the vote.
My vote today is a vote for much needed reconciliation and hope that together we can heal our country. Let's work together side-by-side, seeking common ground to usher in a bright future.
Though she said President Donald Trump has “violated [the] public trust” through “innumerable improprieties and abuses,” Gabbard maintained the impeachment process was only creating more “fragmentation and polarity” which are now “ripping the country apart.”
The congresswoman has previously signaled doubt about the impeachment process as a whole – favoring a vote to censure the president over an attempt to remove him from office. The move nonetheless took some netizens by surprise, especially among Twitter’s more left-leaning user base.
“You will definitely NOT be missed. Just join the GOP and get it over with,” one user said.
The reaction wasn’t entirely negative, however, as some commenters celebrated Gabbard’s decision as a brave stand against the Democratic establishment.
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