Freshman GOP congresswoman believes Trump should be held accountable for Capitol riots but opposes 'rushed' impeachment

Freshman Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) has been critical of President Trump in the wake of the deadly riot at the United States Capitol last week, and on Wednesday, during her first speech on the House floor, she said he needs to be held "accountable" for his role in stoking violence, as does anyone who else who contributed, including her own colleagues.

With that in mind, she said the House has "every right" to impeach the president, but even so, she suggested she wouldn't vote in favor of sending the article to the Senate. Her apparent opposition is mostly on procedural grounds — Mace believes the lower chamber is rushing the vote, which, in her view, "violates due process." In addition to her floor speech, Mace told The National Journal "there would be more success if it were done properly over time, with deliberations, investigations, and evidence presented."

If Mace votes against the article later Wednesday as expected, she likely won't prevent its passage, given the Democratic majority, though it does signal there will only be a handful of House GOP defections. Tim O'Donnell

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up