Unlike the Texas Democrats in the U.S. House, who voted unanimously in favor of an impeachment on Thursday, Texas Republicans, unsurprisingly, are sticking with the president. All 23 voted against the historic resolution.
One of the most vocal opponents of impeachment is extreme conservative Rep. Louie Gohmert of East Texas, calling the process a “coup” in a speech after the House passed the resolution.
Gohmert went much further in his attack on the resolution, warning of an imminent “civil war” over impeachment. “It’s about to push this country to a civil war,” he said. “Some historian, I don’t remember who, said guns are only involved in the last phase of a civil war.”
Rep. Michael McCaul, who represents parts of Houston and Austin, also slammed the resolution. In a speech prior to the vote, he claimed that the impeachment inquiry “denies due process, fundamental transparency and basic fairness.” But the resolution McCaul voted against allows for open hearings and the participation of the president or his counsel in impeachment proceedings.
McCaul’s “no” vote on impeachment indicates he is closely aligning himself with Trump — who is struggling in Texas —in hopes of winning re-election in 2020.
