Toomey's letter back to me thanking him for impeaching and voting to convict klansman

[lindysalsagal]

Thank you for contacting me about impeachment and the 2020 election. I appreciate hearing from you.

I was one of the 74 million Americans who voted to re-elect President Trump, in part because of his administration's many accomplishments. Last Saturday, I voted to convict him on the House of Representatives' article of impeachment. Here's why.

First, I believe-like many conservative constitutional scholars-the Constitution's text, context, and precedent authorizes an impeachment trial of a former president. Article I, Section 2 grants the House "the sole Power of Impeachment." Article I, Section 3 grants the Senate "the sole Power to try all Impeachments" my emphasis. It is indisputable that the House impeached Donald Trump while he was president for offenses committed while in office. Thus, the Senate's power "to try all impeachments" includes his. Furthermore, the Founders' understanding of the term "impeachment" included application to former officials for actions taken in office. Nearly half of the contemporary state constitutions containing impeachment only permitted impeachment trials of former officials. None prohibited them. Finally, Senate precedent includes impeachment trials for former officials.

For me, then, the question was: Did President Trump's post-election behavior constitute "high crimes and misdemeanors"? President Trump's defense team made several accurate observations at the trial. Many elected Democrats did want to impeach him even before he won the 2016 election, and the mainstream media was unrelentingly hostile towards him. Democrats and the media often overlooked, and sometimes condoned, violent riots when perpetrated in favor of causes they found sympathetic. But media bias and Democratic hypocrisy do not excuse President Trump's conduct after he lost the 2020 election.

By November 7, 2020, it was clear that, absent major reversals in several states, Joe Biden would be the next president. Immediately, President Trump pursued his legal challenges to those results, in all of the swing states where he narrowly lost. I publicly supported his right to do so. He requested three recounts. All confirmed his loss. He filed dozens of lawsuits, but judge after judge-some Trump appointees-rejected his claims of widespread fraud for lack of evidence.

With legitimate challenges exhausted, he turned to legally dubious means to retain power. He pressured state legislatures, including Pennsylvania's, to overturn state election results, either by refusing to certify them or by installing new electors to vote contrary to their states' results.

He pressured Georgia's Secretary of State to "find" enough votes to reverse the outcome there. This pressure campaign eventually included members of Congress and even Vice President Mike Pence, whom President Trump repeatedly and publicly urged to unilaterally reject electoral slates that cost them reelection. Of course, the Vice President has no such authority and, to his credit, he refused to so violate his oath of office.
When these efforts failed, President Trump capitalized on his supporters' anger, which he had fomented, in a last-ditch effort to retain power. He promoted a rally in Washington D.C. immediately preceding the meeting where the Vice President and Congress would finalize his loss. In a 70-minute speech, he repeated notoriously false charges that a great victory was stolen from them and urged the unruly mob to march to the Capitol to "Stop the Steal."

No one should be surprised by what followed. Massively outnumbered, the Capitol Police were overwhelmed and the mob stormed and vandalized the Capitol. Amidst the ensuing riot, several people died. Officers were pummeled, pushed down stairs, and assaulted with bear and pepper spray. Over 125 sustained physical injuries ranging from concussions and swollen limbs to cracked ribs and smashed spinal discs.

All the while, the President watched. Minutes after learning his Vice President had to be removed from the Senate chamber because his life was in danger, Trump tweeted that "Mike Pence didn't have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution." With the Capitol inundated by rioters, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy called President Trump, asking for help. The president coldly retorted that the rioters were "more upset about the election than you are." Even after the dust finally settled, President Trump unthinkably condoned the rioters' actions: "These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long. Go home with love & in peace. Remember this day forever!"

Because of President Trump's conduct, for the first time in American history, the transfer of presidential power was not peaceful. A president's lawless effort to retain power was a primary fear motivating the founders' inclusion of impeachment authorities in the Constitution. President Trump's desperate attempts to stay in office undermined the foundations of our republic, betrayed the confidence of millions who voted for him, and required a vote to convict.

Thank you again for your correspondence. Do not hesitate to contact me in the future if I can be of assistance.

Sincerely,

Pat Toomey
U.S. Senator, Pennsylvania

[Siwsan]

1. That whole 'many accomplishments' thing just grinds my last bad nerve

Facilitating the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans and bankrupting millions more is, I guess, and accomplishment, but not one that would earn my vote.

[lagomorph777]

2. Everything Trump accomplished was evil.

[mopinko]

4. to them that is an accomplishment.

[Ohiogal]

5. Good for Toomey

But I agree with you, this crap about “all the good things trump did” must be their new mantra now. A lot of them are saying it. For the life of me, I can’t think of one good thing he did. Not. One.

[speak easy]

12. The First Step Act, 2018.

[Freddie]

8. He inspired a violent coup attempt and almost succeeded

That wasn’t very nice, but yes he had SO many accomplishments.
I’m from PA, Toomey’s always been a slime.

[DeminPennswoods]

11. Toomey loved the tax cuts and dergulation

as any Club-for-Growther would.

But, credit to him for listening to the objective evidence and voting to convict Trump.

[Escurumbele]

14. I feel the same way...Write back to him and ask him to list trump's accomplishments

I asked a friend of mine who voted for trump to list only five of trump's accomplishments, those that benefit the country, then I had to lower the bar and ask her to just give me three...I am still waiting.

[mmbrevo]

3. He makes me ill.

Even when he does the right thing, he still pisses me off.

[nebby70]

7. ain't that the truth....

[nebby70]

6. Yep, I got that one too....

... I wasn't very polite but did say that it marked one of the 5 times he'd voted to represent my views in all the years he'd been in politics; both local and statewide....

... I'm relieved that you all took umbrage at the same set of sentences I did....
... if it hadn't come by way of email, I'd have burned it just for the satisfaction of completely destroying it ...
... he'll be gone for us Pennsylvanians soon; but I do worry what will replace him....

.. hang in there friends, we will work together and eventually either help these nuts see the light or at least not insist that we all go down the ugly path they have chosen...,.

[MyOwnPeace]

9. Just about EVERY major league baseball player

gets at least ONE hit in their career.

However, Sen. Toomey will NEVER escape judgment for those he supported to serve in the past mis-administration, ESPECIALLY Betsy DeVos!!!!

[Hassin Bin Sober]

10. See if you can talk him into $15 dollar minimum wage while you have his ear.

[twodogsbarking]

13. That is maximum wage in parts of PA

and I am not joking.

[XCSki]

15. yep

I also received this letter from Sen Toomey. While initially irked by the (paraphrasing) "I voted with 74 million Americans for Trump"--we've got to consider his rural PA base. That statement might ease some of their contempt for his impeachment vote. Yet, I'd rather he not inform me that he voted for nincompoop head. I couldn't read much further into his letter after that.

[lindysalsagal]

16. I'd like to know if he had a different letter for the angry magats who no doubt bombed his in box

In crayon. With pictures and only a few 2-syllable letter words...

[movingviolation]

17. I for one, would like to see this list of "accomplishments."

I'm just so sure they benefit everyone equally, and that it is just the biggest shame and injustice at how us Democrats are so cruel to such a fine and godly man.















hopefully not necessary.

[aggiesal]

18. I'd frame that letter as a keepsake ...

Then in the future, donate it to some Pennsylvania archive for prosperity.
Every Pennsylvanian should read that letter. Whether they like it or not.