Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson of Marion says in 12 days, Joe Biden will be the president of the United States and it’s time for unity rather than the pursing impeachment of out-going President Trump.
“Further dividing our country right now would serve no one, especially not Iowans who expect us to come together and solve the challenges that they’re facing every day,” Hinson said during a telephone news conference with Iowa reporters this morning. “…This is just more Washington chaos and dysfunction.”
Hinson said she’s focused on working where she can with the Biden Administration and the Democratically-led legislative branch.
“There are a lot of pieces of legislation that I know we can still work together on,” Hinson said.
Hinson said the gravity of what happened in the Capitol struck her yesterday as she went back to work and, while she does not support impeachment, Hinson said she is disappointed in President Trump’s response.
“I just want to say again I strongly condemn the violence we saw here in the Capitol on Wednesday…It was a true disruption to our democratic process and that was unacceptable to me. Word matter and rhetoric matters and we saw that really first hand at the Capitol this week and I was disappointed in how the president handled the situation,” Hinson said this morning. “As a leader, I will always work to unite us and, especially, that’s important right now.”
Congresswoman Cindy Axne of West Des Moines, the only Democrat in Iowa’s delegation, this morning announced she will vote to impeach President Trump.
The other two members of Iowa’s congressional delegation — Republicans Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Ottumwa and Randy Feenstra of Hull — both oppose impeachment. Miller-Meeks says Trump has committed to a peaceful transfer of power and should serve out the final days of his term. Feenstra says congress should be focused on serious issues facing the nation rather than “divisive political acts” like impeachment.
Neither of Iowa’s Republican senators have issued public statements about impeaching Trump in his final days as president.