Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., told Vermonters Monday evening that he decided to support impeaching President Donald Trump because believes the “guardrails” of American democracy are being threatened by the president.
After announcing last week that he now supports impeachment proceedings, Welch held a town hall meeting at the Statehouse in Montpelier to explain why he pivoted from opposing impeachment to supporting it.
“The reason I came to the conclusion I did last week, and overcame really an enormous reservation about taking this step because of my respect for the outcome of elections, was because I have become increasingly alarmed that the guardrails of our democracy are under attack,” Welch said.
About 200 people crowded into the House chamber Monday evening to hear what Welch had to say, and as Vermont’s sole House member walked into the room, they stood and gave him a standing ovation.
The vast majority applauded his decision to come forward in support of removing Trump from the White House.
Of the 20 or so who spoke, most thanked and encouraged Welch to move forward with the president’s ouster.
“I appreciate your desire to pursue impeachment,” John Turner, 75, said.
But Welch was challenged by Miriam Hansen, of Montpelier, who said she was concerned if House Democrats go down the route of impeachment it would be playing into the president’s strategy for the 2020 election.
“There are no rules with this individual, so it seems to me very dangerous to go into impeachment early knowing the Senate will not impeach him and giving him the opportunity to play it the way he is able to play us,” Hansen said.
In the crowd of 200, there was one man wearing a red baseball cap emblazoned with “Trump” in white letters.
The man, who would only be identified by his first name, Chad, who is 27 years old, declined to speak with the press before he heard Welch’s argument for supporting impeachment.
After the two-hour town hall, Chad said he had not been convinced by Welch about why impeaching the president is the right course of action.
“I don’t think there is enough evidence to do it. I’m here in support of the president,” Chad said. “I believe the president.”
Welch has long been a skeptic on impeaching the president. Since the 2018 midterm election he had voiced his support for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and her opposition to removing Trump from office.
On Thursday, Welch said he had not spoken with Pelosi about his decision to now support impeachment proceedings, but that he did send her a text message explaining his intent to publicly call for impeachment proceedings. Pelosi wrote a text back saying “thanks,” according to Welch.
“This is my decision,” said Welch last week. “I did tell her my thinking.”
On Monday, asked by Vermonters about Pelosi and her view on impeachment, Welch said he has been “impressed” with the speaker’s leadership.
“I’ve been really impressed with the leadership of Nancy Pelosi,” Welch said. “She gets it and she has a different job because as the speaker she more than anyone else, she has to make the call.”
“One of the reasons why I spoke out is a way of giving another signal, another data point,” said Welch of showing Pelosi there is an appetite for impeachment in the Democratic caucus.
In an interview with VTDigger in late May — just after special counsel Robert Mueller released his report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, Welch said he did not think it was appropriate to call for impeachment.
“My view is that we need to proceed carefully, thoroughly and factually, and then make a decision when the investigatory work is done,” Welch said in May.
But now, Welch is saying that Trump’s continued stonewalling of congressional oversight and his escalating attacks on immigrants and people of color have made it clear that the president is “unfit for office.”
Speaking with the press after the event, Welch said he made the decision to come out in support of impeachment last week for no specific reason, but after it was clear the president was going to continue dividing the country.
“It really became intensified after he decided his reelection strategy was going to double down on division,” Welch said.
During the town hall meeting, Welch was also challenged by multiple constituents on his support for the F-35 fighter jet to be based in Burlington and used by the Vermont Air National Guard.
Cara Montague, of Winooski, and James Leas, of South Burlington, both pressed Welch on why he has supported the F-35 which have been criticized by Vermonters for their nuclear capability and the noise pollution to the area around the airport.
“That decision has been made,” said Welch of basing the fighter jet in Vermont. “There is no plans whatsoever for there to be any nuclear mission when that plane is in Burlington.”
