Speaker Pelosi can lose 17 Democrats to impeachment and will obviously give many the freedom to vote against impeachment. Perhaps Peterson got the nod from the Speaker because he will not vote for impeachment.
The congressman from Minnesota’s 7th district said he doesn’t believe Donald Trump committed a crime.
Speaking to The Globe on Saturday, Peterson said that barring new information, he will vote against impeachment.
Peterson said he expects 4-5 other Democrats will do the same.
Peterson made the comments while attending the annual meeting of the First District Association, a dairy cooperative in Litchfield.
Peterson said he normally doesnโt make a decision until an issue โ and all the information โ is on the floor for a vote but said โunless they come up with something between now and Wednesday,โ he will not support the articles of impeachment.
โMaybe something will change. I doubt it,โ he said.
Peterson said Trump โhas not committed a crimeโ and most people in the Seventh District donโt think the US should provide foreign aid, so they are not troubled at all if Trump withheld funds to Ukraine. Peterson also said the case against Trump only includes “second-hand” information about Trump’s questionable phone call.
Peterson said the โbiggest problemโ he has with this impeachment process is the decision to impeach came first and then they tried to figure out how to make the case.
Peterson expects the House to impeach Trump and he expects an acquittal.
โThis is dividing the country for no good reason because heโs not going to be thrown out of office,โ he said. โWhy are we doing this?โ
Peterson wants to keep his seat.
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