On December 18, 2019, the US House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald Trump, marking only the third time in American history that a sitting president faced impeachment. The historic vote capped weeks of intense hearings and debate over allegations that Trump abused the power of his office and obstructed Congress.
That day, then–House Speaker Nancy Pelosi delivered a solemn and emotional speech on the House floor, framing the moment as a test of democratic responsibility. In her remarks, Pelosi invoked the words of the late Congressman Elijah Cummings, a civil rights leader and former chair of the House Oversight Committee who had died just two months earlier.
Pelosi quoted Cummings directly, reminding lawmakers of his reasoning for supporting impeachment. “When the history books are written about this tumultuous era, I want them to show that I was among those in the House of Representatives who stood up to lawlessness and tyranny,” she said. She also recalled his words that carried particular weight in the chamber: “When we are dancing with the angels, the question will be what did we do to make sure we kept our democracy intact?”
Pelosi went on to reflect on Cummings’ passing and the symbolic power of his statement. “Elijah, as you know, has since passed on. Now he is dancing with the angels, and I know that he and all of us here are very proud of the moral courage of members who want to honor the vision of our founders for a republic, the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform to defend it, and the aspirations of our children to live freely within it,” she said. Closing her remarks, Pelosi added, “Today we are here to defend democracy for the people. May God bless America.”
Weeks later, the impeachment process moved to the Senate, where a trial was held under Republican control. As House impeachment managers made their final case, then-Representative Adam Schiff of California delivered a closing argument that echoed Pelosi’s appeal to principle and accountability.
“But here, right is supposed to matter. It’s what’s made us the greatest nation on Earth,” Schiff told senators. “No constitution can protect us if right doesn’t matter anymore.” He warned that Trump could not be trusted to act in the country’s interest, saying, “You can trust he will do what’s right for Donald Trump.”
Schiff concluded with a direct call for removal from office. “This is why if you find him guilty, you must find that he should be removed. Because right matters. Because right matters. And the truth matters. Otherwise, we are lost.”
Despite those arguments, Republican senators ultimately voted to acquit Trump, falling short of the two-thirds majority required for conviction. The outcome underscored the deep partisan divide surrounding the impeachment and left Pelosi’s and Schiff’s words as lasting reminders of how Democrats framed the moment: not just as a political battle, but as a defining test of constitutional duty.
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