Cleveland-Area Rep. Marcia Fudge Votes For Trump Impeachment

CLEVELAND — Representative Marcia Fudge voted for impeaching President Donald Trump on Wednesday night. In a statement to her constituents she said Trump had "betrayed the public interest."

"The President betrayed the public interest, undermined our national security, attempted to corrupt our free and fair elections – the cornerstone of American democracy – and refused to comply with constitutionally mandated Congressional oversight. These acts of betrayal cannot stand," Fudge said in a statement.

With Fudge's help, the U.S. House impeached Trump on charges of abusing his office by attempting an arms-for-dirt scheme against former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and obstructing of Congress for trying to cover up his actions.

The impeachment vote was predictably partisan. All House Republicans, including Gonzalez, voted against the impeachment. All but two House Democrats voted for the impeachment. The tallies were 230-197 on abuse and 229-198 on obstruction.

Trump, the nation's 45th president, became only the third person in the office to be impeached. He now faces trial in the Senate and the prospect, however unlikely, of being removed from office for "high crimes and misdemeanors."

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Fudge, whose district includes Cleveland and inner-ring suburbs like Cleveland Heights, said she was proud to vote for Trump's impeachment.

"The corroborated, undisputed facts on the record show the president ignored national security and other vital national interests for an improper personal political benefit when he enlisted a foreign power to corrupt our democratic elections," Fudge said. "The official and public records clearly lay out the president’s numerous defiant attempts and overt actions to obstruct Congress’ investigation into his abuses of power."