Congressional Record—Senate S1144
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S1144 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 25, 2020 My intention here is not to condemn from one State’s roll in 2018 were Afri- period of weeks, President Nixon re- my home State. To the contrary, I am can Americans. Studies reveal that im- signed before he was formally im- exceedingly proud of the struggles for plementing strict voter ID laws widens peached. Then, just over two decades justice that have bloomed in Maryland the Black-White turnout gap by more later, President Clinton was impeached through abolitionists like Harriet Tub- than 400 percent. by the House, on another mostly par- man and Frederick Douglas and civil So long as we allow these sorts of tisan vote leading to a partisan acquit- rights leaders like Thurgood Marshall. practices to continue under the exag- tal in the Senate. I draw inspiration from the lineage of geration of voter ‘‘fraud,’’ we are deny- This season of our history has been African-American public servants in ing African Americans their full right referred to as the Age of Investigations Maryland who overcame enormous ob- to vote and breaking the promise we and the Age of Impeachment. We have stacles in order to amplify the voices of made 150 years ago. This is a problem had multiple special counsels since 1974 their brothers and sisters. on principle, of course, but also for over multiple topics. This is more than These public servants include Verda practical reasons; when we exclude peo- just oversight; it has been a unique Welcome, the first Black woman ever ple from fully participating in our de- time in American history when the pol- elected to any State’s senate, as well mocracy, we prevent them from itics of the moment have driven rapid as Adrienne Jones, the current speaker achieving the social, economic, and calls for investigation and impeach- of the Maryland House of Delegates, civic reforms they need to strengthen ment. Over the past 3 years, the House who is the first African American and their families and communities. of Representatives has voted four times first woman to serve in that position. So what are we going to do about to open an impeachment inquiry: once They also include my friend and that? I know what I will do; I will fight in 2017, once in 2018, and twice in 2019. hero, Congressman Elijah Cummings, for laws that will guarantee every Only the second vote in 2019 actually the son of sharecroppers who devoted American a voice in our democracy. passed and began a formal inquiry. his life to fighting for equality and That is why I have introduced bills to The Mueller investigation that con- fairness and lifting up our beloved com- restore the Federal right to vote to ex- sumed most of 2018 and 2019 answered munity of Baltimore. offenders and to penalize the voter in- many questions about Russian attacks I am likewise grateful for all of the timidation and deception efforts so fre- on our voting systems—although no Marylanders whose names we might quently aimed at people of color. These votes were changed—but it was also a not know, but who nevertheless work measures alone will not eliminate sup- $32 million investigation that took every day to expand educational eq- pression of the Black vote, but they are more than 2 years of America’s atten- uity, reform our justice system, shrink steps in the right direction. tion. For the last 4 months the country the wealth gap, deliver healthcare, and The racism that we vowed to root out has been consumed with impeachment otherwise make our society better. a long time ago is still here. We may hearings and investigations. The first Thanks to brave and dedicated people have reined it in, or it may have taken rumors of issues with Ukraine arose like these in Maryland and across the new forms that we do not recognize August 28 when POLITICO published a country, we have made significant yet, but it is still here. story about U.S. foreign aid being slow- strides toward racial justice. The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther walked for Ukraine, and then on Sep- I began my remarks by discussing King, Jr. remarked, ‘‘It may be true tember 18 when the Washington Post Maryland’s bleaker moments in history that the law cannot make a man love published a story about a whistle- for two reasons. First, to demonstrate me, but it can keep him from lynching blower report that claimed President that we must never take progress for me.’’ It is true that we cannot legislate Trump pressured an unnamed foreign granted—Maryland has not always love, but we can and must legislate head of state to do an investigation for been a tolerant, inclusive State, it did equality. his campaign. not become one by accident, and it will Until we guarantee the right to vote Within days of the Washington Post not continue to be one unless we work regardless of race, we fall short of the story on September 24, Speaker PELOSI to make it so. Democracy and the rule unique promise and potential of the announced that the House would begin of law do not just happen; we need to United States of America. How can we hearings to impeach the President, protect and nourish them every day. be, at last, the Shining City on the which led to the formal House vote to Second, to illuminate how those in- Hill, while we continue to deny people open the impeachment inquiry on Oc- justices that still exist, of which there their right to vote because of the color tober 31 and then a vote to impeach the are many, are not new and are not inci- of their skin? President on December 18. But after dental—they are not just disparate ef- For the sake of our democracy and the partisan vote to impeach the Presi- fects of forces beyond our control. our common humanity, for the sake of dent, Speaker PELOSI held the Articles They are deeply rooted in policies and those who have suffered and died, for of Impeachment for a month before systems intentionally designed to sub- the sake of those living and those yet turning them over to the Senate, which jugate African Americans. to come, let us make good on our 150- began the formal trial of the President One of the strongest, most disheart- year-old promise. of the United States on January 16, ening examples of this phenomenon is Let us build on the progress we have 2020. After hearing hours of arguments the ongoing assault on the right to achieved, and let us stay vigilant about from both House managers and the vote. This is not ancient history. the threats that remain. Let us fulfill President’s legal defense team and Sen- States all over the country continue to the right to vote. ators asking 180 questions to both ‘‘modernize’’ strategies developed a f sides, the trial concluded February 5, century ago to suppress African-Amer- IMPEACHMENT 2020. ican voting power. Some of these strat- There are key dates to know: egies are blatant and recognizable, like Mr. LANKFORD. Madam President, April 21, 2019, President Zelensky is mass purges of voter rolls; the gerry- the country is deeply divided on mul- elected President of Ukraine. mandering of districts with ‘‘surgical tiple issues right now. The impeach- May 21, President Zelensky sworn in. precision,’’ according to one court; and ment trial is both a symptom of our After the ceremony, President intimidation of Black voters. Some of times and another example of our divi- Zelensky abolishes Parliament and the strategies are disguised behind ex- sion. At the beginning of our Nation, calls for quick snap elections on July cuses or fear tactics, like obstructive we did not have an impeachment in- 21. voter ID laws and felony disenfran- quiry of a President for almost 100 July 21, Ukrainian Parliamentary chisement. years with the partisan impeachment elections. President Zelensky’s party Regardless, these tools of oppression of Andrew Johnson. After more than wins a huge majority. are alive and operating as intended. 100 years, another impeachment in- July 25, President Trump calls Presi- One in every 13 African Americans quiry was conducted when the House dent Zelensky to congratulate him and has lost his or her right to vote be- began a formal impeachment inquiry his party. cause of felony disenfranchisement. into President Nixon in an overwhelm- August 12, An unnamed whistle- Seventy percent of the voters purged ingly bipartisan vote of 410–4. Within a blower working in the U.S. intelligence VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:18 Feb 26, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G25FE6.026 S25FEPT1 SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with SENATE February 25, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1145 community filed a complaint that he nity. President Trump met the pre- Trump’s personal attorney, in the com- had heard from others that the Presi- vious President of Ukraine in 2017 to ing days, which led to a conversation dent of the United States had tried to talk about other countries helping about Joe Biden and the firing of the pressure President Zelensky of Ukraine Ukraine with greater military support previous prosecutor in Ukraine. to investigate former Vice President funds and to ask how Ukraine could ad- After the call, Lieutenant Colonel Joe Biden on an official phone call July dress corruption on a wider scale. The Vindman contacted an attorney at the 25, 2019. two Presidents also spoke about lethal National Security Council to express August 26, the Inspector General for aid—allowing the Ukrainians to buy his ‘‘policy concerns’’ about the call.