Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick ‘abandoned his responsibility’ by voting ‘no’ to impeach Donald Trump, DJOP says
Bucks County’s U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA 1) “abandoned his responsibility to our democracy and our nation” in voting against the impeachment of President Donald Trump, the Democratic Jewish Outreach Pennsylvania (DJOP) said today.
Fitzpatrick was the only Greater Philadelphia-area member of Congress to oppose the impeachment motion. It passed in a 232 to 197 vote, with 10 Republican members joining all House Democrats in supporting the measure.
“The evidence is undisputed that on January 6 Donald Trump incited the violent, threatening white nationalist mob that smashed its way into the Capitol and tried to prevent the traditional peaceful transfer of power dictated by the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris,” said Jill Zipin, Chair of DJOP.
“The mob of domestic terrorists threatened Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Michael Pence. It destroyed property and committed mayhem in an effort to overturn a fair and accurate election,” Zipin said. “Most Americans watched with horror as the openly anti-Semitic and racist insurrectionists overran police and rampaged through the Capitol, while the President continued to encourage the violent marauders with baseless claims and lies about his fantasy ‘landslide’ win.
“In refusing to vote for impeachment, Brian Fitzpatrick was hardly a profile in courage,” Zipin added. “Contrary to his self-serving statement about the need for careful study of the events of last week, a Senate trial will offer ample opportunity for such review. It was incumbent on the Congressman to vote with the majority of his colleagues to hold Donald Trump accountable for his support for this unprecedented and horrifying physical assault on the American democratic process. The Congressman abandoned his responsibility to our democracy and our nation.”
DJOP was formed in 2008 to support progressive candidates and legislation and sponsor educational programs on contemporary issues. Its work is driven by the traditional Jewish values of the pursuit of justice and the principle of tikun olam, Hebrew for “repair of the world.”
Serving with Zipin on the DJOP board are David Broida, William Epstein, Brett Goldman, Steven D. Irwin, Adam Kessler, Dina Lichtman, Sharon Perelman, Martin Raffel, Rabbi Seymour Rosenbloom, Nina Rosenthal, Rabbi Joshua Runyan and Burt Siegel.
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