WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) issued the following statement after voting to reject Democrats’ Article of Impeachment and to acquit Donald Trump:
“The impeachment of Donald Trump on the charge of incitement was merely a rushed act of partisan retribution. I was against the Senate taking jurisdiction in this trial from the start, as the House had chosen to impeach without providing due process or introducing evidence.
“The House brought only one charge before the Senate: incitement. Donald Trump used heated language, but he did not urge anyone to commit acts of violence. The legal standard for incitement is very high and it is clear by the results of this vote that the House Managers failed to present a coherent standard for incitement.
“In the United States, politicians from all parties and across the country routinely use words and phrases like ‘fight,’ ‘win,’ and ‘take back our country’ in speeches and interviews, including numerous Senate Democrats and House Impeachment Managers. Using this rhetoric is not impeachable, whether made by Republicans or Democrats.
“As I’ve said repeatedly, what we saw on January 6 was a despicable terrorist attack on the United States Capitol and those who carried it out should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Unfortunately, this impeachment trial did nothing to bring the domestic terrorists who committed this heinous attack to justice. It merely satisfied Democrats’ desire to once again vent their hatred of Donald Trump and their contempt for the tens of millions of Americans who voted for him.
“Doing so did nothing to address the many critical challenges facing our country. This impeachment certainly didn’t help the tens of millions of Americans out of work or the millions of kids who aren’t able to go to school.
“As always, I will continue to work to ensure that America defeats the coronavirus pandemic while pursuing a vision for the country that expands freedom and opportunity for each and every American.”
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