Biden on impeachment vote: Congress needs to ensure Trump’s ‘assault on the Constitution does not seep beyond his presidency’

Former Vice President Joe Biden encouraged Congress to “do its duty” to ensure President Trump’s “assault on the Constitution does not seep beyond his presidency,” in a statement released following the House’s approval of the impeachment proceedings Thursday.

Biden said the House followed its “constitutional duty” in supporting the rules for the impeachment inquiry into President Trump, who he said is “testing the institutions of our democracy every day.”

{mosads}“But they are holding,” Biden said in the statement.  

“Members of Congress take an oath of loyalty to the Constitution when they are sworn in, not an oath to their party or to the president,” he said in the statement. “Congress must do its duty to ensure that Donald Trump’s assault on the Constitution does not seep beyond his presidency, with a lasting and devastating impact on our democracy.”

Biden said the information revealed since news of the whistleblower report came out showed “overwhelming and distressing signs” of the president abusing his power.

“He has weaponized the institutions of our government for political purposes, subverting our national security for his own political gain,” the former vice president said. “He has done this with the systematic use of lies and conspiracy theories that have led members of his own administration to take extraordinary actions to speak out and oppose him.”

The House voted along party lines to pass the procedures for the impeachment inquiry Thursday. 

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) started the inquiry last month after the whistleblower report detailed how Trump asked the Ukrainian president to investigate Biden, his potential 2020 opponent, and Biden’s son, days after withholding military aid to the country.

The president has consistently blasted Biden and his son for participating in alleged corruption in Ukraine, although evidence to back that up has not surfaced.

The inquiry started behind closed doors among select House committees, which the president and GOP lawmakers criticized House Democrats for.