Wisconsin lawmakers react to Trump impeachment
WISCONSIN (CBS 58) -- Ahead of Wednesday's historic vote, CBS 58 talked with Wisconsin lawmakers about their take on President Trump's impeachment. Wisconsin's senators shared what they have been and are now considering.
Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) represent opposing parties, but now their vote, along with the rest of the Senate, will decide the president's future. Baldwin says she'll listen to the evidence but wants more of the president's defense.
"I’ve heard a lot of evidence from the people who came to testify before the House of Representatives during their inquiry, but I have not heard the president put on his own case," Baldwin said. “My preparation is of someone who’s going to listen, review the evidence and that is what I think my colleagues ought to be preparing to do, likely next month.”
Johnson, who supports Trump, believes the House charges are "ridiculous".
“Now they’re talking about abuse of power and they’re talking about obstruction, I guess because President Trump is actually defending his prerogatives," Johnson said. "If that’s an impeachable offense then just about every modern president, who’s also defended the powers of the presidency their constitutional office would also be impeached.”
But says he can be impartial before casting his vote.
“I’ll listen to both sides, but the current charges have been watered down. But the articles of impeachment are so flawed from the House. They’ve been watered down from the terrific charges they were throwing around."
Former UWM professor and political expert Mordecai Lee told CBS 58 he wonders if politics has become "too partisan", and that perhaps impeachment is the result of over-eagerness of the party opposite the president. But on Wednesday, as most members of Congress cast predictable votes, he said we're also seeing "profiles in courage".
“We’re seeing some Democrats say, “I’m not sure if the President should be impeached, and we’re seeing some Republicans say maybe he ought to be impeached," Lee said. "I think those are profiles in courage -- that’s somebody saying I take my constitutional duty so seriously, I’m willing to end my political career but believe that I did that right thing."
Wisconsin's four republican congressmen voted against impeachment while the three democrats, including Congresswoman Gwen Moore, voted for it.