U.S. Rep. Andy Kim and President Donald Trump. (Photos: Shorebeat/White House)
U.S. Rep. Andy Kim (D-3) told his constituents Monday he plans on voting in favor of impeaching President Donald Trump.
“It is with a sense of humility, and with the future of our Constitution and presidency in mind, that I will vote yes on the articles of impeachment before the House,” Kim said in a statement.
The vote will undoubtedly be controversial in Kim’s third district, which spans portions of Democrat-leaning Burlington County and overwhelmingly Republican-oriented Ocean County. Kim said in his statement that the impending vote on impeachment “will determine the very framework of our Democracy, what constitutes acceptable behavior by future presidents, and the kind of country our children and grandchildren will grow up in.”
“As someone who swore an oath to the Constitution three times in my life, I will stand up to those that abuse the power entrusted to them by the people regardless if they are Democrats or Republicans,” said Kim.
In what is expected to be a party-line vote, Democrats, who hold a majority in the House, plan a vote to impeach Trump Wednesday over allegations that the president pressured Ukraine to investigate the circumstances of a job at a Ukrainian energy company held by Hunter Biden, the son of former Vice President Joe Biden, that paid about $83,000 per month. The elder Biden is competing to win the Democratic nomination to face Trump in the 2020 election.
One of New Jersey’s House members, Jeff Van Drew, is expected to switch his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican over the impeachment issue. Van Drew, a longtime moderate Democrat, would likely face a primary vote from the liberal wing of his party if he refused to vote in favor of impeaching Trump. But doing so could alienate voters in the South Jersey district, which leans Republican.
Kim, who is also faced with a significant Republican constituency, said he understands many residents of the district will disagree with his vote.
“I understand some of you will not agree with my decision, and I want you to know that I thought through your concerns and arguments at great length,” he said. “I’ve held multiple town halls and read through your letters. I give you my sincere word that I made this decision myself with no consideration about party affiliation, and I am fully committed to continuing to bridge across partisanship and get real things done for our community to lower health care and prescription drug costs, support our military and our veterans, create jobs, and prioritize the needs of your families.”
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