Tulsi Gabbard Defends Voting ‘Present’ on Both Articles of Impeachment: This Has Been a ‘Partisan Endeavor’

Two Democrats voted against the first article of impeachment against President Donald Trump and three voted against the second.

But Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, a 2020 presidential candidate, voted “present” on both instead of for or against.

The Hawaii congresswoman issued a statement tonight defending her decision, saying she “could not in good conscience vote against impeachment because I believe President Trump is guilty of wrongdoing” but she couldn’t vote for it “because removal of a sitting President must not be the culmination of a partisan process.”

Gabbard criticizes Republicans for not upholding their responsibility to “exercise legitimate oversight” and “blindly do the bidding” of the president, but she’s also critical of Democrats for their rhetoric:

“The president’s opponents insist that if we do not impeach, our country will collapse into dictatorship. All but explicitly, they accuse him of treason. Such extreme rhetoric was never conducive to an impartial fact-finding process.”

She brings up her censure resolution as an alternative that will “send a strong message” to the president, concluding by calling her decision “a vote for much needed reconciliation and hope that together we can heal our country.”

Gabbard received some criticism for her decision tonight:

Not sure how @TulsiGabbard can defend a “present” vote on impeachment. One of the most consequential votes in any politician’s career and you can’t make a call one way or another? Why even be there, collecting a taxpayer-funded paycheck?

— Garrett Haake (@GarrettHaake) December 19, 2019

LOL Tulsi Gabbard voted present what a coward.

— Daniel W. Drezner (@dandrezner) December 19, 2019

Brian Williams: "Tulsi Gabbard, who was mysteriously missing all day, is in the chamber and has voted 'present.'"
Fmr. Sen. Claire McCaskill: "That's just stupid." pic.twitter.com/gAOQp2en2o

— MSNBC (@MSNBC) December 19, 2019

Tulsi Gabbard just made about the worst decision you can make in this important moment in history. She voted Present. Not yes or no. How does she run in Democratic primary after this?

— Matthew Dowd (@matthewjdowd) December 19, 2019

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