Moulton reflects on vote

SALEM — On a "momentous day" when a divided Congress was poised to impeach the president for only the third time in U.S. history, U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton held a Facebook town hall Wednesday morning to say he planned to vote "yes" on the two articles before the House of Representatives.

"I do plan to vote 'yes' on both articles of impeachment as I've described earlier," said the Salem Democrat..

"The president has clearly violated the law in soliciting interference into the next election, demanding a political favor by extorting a foreign...ally. And second, he has clearly obstructed Congress by obstructing this investigation by directing members of his administration to violate the law by obstructing congressional subpoenas. So, on both counts he qualifies, sadly."

Moulton fielded a question about how he had first called for an impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump in 2017. Moulton said he did so out of concern the president was violating the emoluments clause of the Constitution for the way the president may have been profiting from his office by the use of his properties and hotels.

Moulton spoke about the solemn duty those in Congress have to uphold the Constitution, saying he did not get elected to Congress to impeach a president.

The Marine Corps Iraq War veteran said he took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution, "and that's not an oath I can choose to follow when it's politically convenient, when it's expeditious, even when it's convenient for the country. It's an oath we have to follow every single day. And today, that oath compels me to vote for impeachment."

Reaction was mixed in the comments from the online town hall, including a few angry-faced emojis.

"Every American ought to read this letter," wrote Colleen Connor, of Marblehead, sharing a link to the six-page letter President Trump sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the eve of the impeachment vote.

"Sadly, this is a somewhat deranged letter from our president, that I think emphasizes just how out of touch he is with America and the law," Moulton said.

Jane Cunningham Otis, of Salt Lake City, Utah, responded: "for further evidence he is a crooked crook."

"You know, look, that's certainly a feeling that many Americans have, and there are also a lot of Americans who support the president," Moulton said. "But what should be unequivocal is that all Americans should support the Constitution."

Local reaction to the impending impeachment was also split along party lines.

Third Essex Republican State Committeewoman Amy Carnevale, of Marblehead, said most people want politicians in Washington, D.C. to bring people together, and to her, impeachment has had the opposite effect of dividing the nation.

"I would say that Democrats in Congress have wanted to impeach this president since the start of his administration," Carnevale said. The vote to impeach Trump was not unexpected or surprising to her.

"I fully expect that the Senate, a more reasoned body, will not vote to convict him," she said. "I think the effects of this impeachment vote will have an opposite impact intended by the Democrats." She said the impeachment vote in the House will drive Americans toward the Republican Party because the process has gone too far.

When asked about Trump's call with the Ukrainian president in July that sparked the impeachment inquiry, Carnevale said: "Certainly, the president could have conducted the call differently, but it doesn't rise to the level of impeachment."

Second Essex Republican State Committeeman John McCarthy, of Peabody, was more blunt about impeachment: "It's just a scam and it's going to the Senate and they will be really shutting this down."

McCarthy said it was a shame no one was talking about former Vice President Joe Biden. He said the president did not commit any high crimes or misdemeanors, and the only crime Trump committed in the eyes of Democrats was getting elected.

McCarthy, noting he's 71, said "this is the best economy in my lifetime."

Unemployment is at record lows — it was 3.5% in November, and unemployment rates for blacks (5.5%) and Hispanics (4.2%) were also at record lows, McCarthy said.

"Anyone who wants a job can get a job," he said.

"It's not really a surprise," said Amanda Kesterson, of Gloucester, who is the First Essex & Middlesex Republican State Committeewoman. She called the vote on impeachment "very sad."

"The Democrats have been trying to impeach Trump since the day he was elected," Kesterson said. "It's almost amusing the rabbit hole they have gone down.

"Unfortunately, they are not following legal procedure for doing this," she said, adding that the founders did not envision impeachment as a politically-charged process, but the Democrats are using it as such.

"They (Democrats) do not have a candidate to beat (Trump) next year," she said. The whole aim of the impeachment is to deflect from the president's accomplishments on the economy and foreign policy, she argued.

"He's crushing it on many of these areas," said Kesterson.

Meanwhile, Tyler Carlton, of Salem, who holds a youth seat as the Second Essex Democratic State Committeeman, said Democrats are not excited about impeaching the president. However, he favors such an outcome.

"There comes a point when our country comes before party," said Carlton. Impeachment is not something to be proud of, but in this case, it is necessary, he said.

"This is not a partisan thing, this is a fight for the foundation of our democracy," said Topsfield's Jamie Belsito, who is challenging Moulton in the Democratic primary next year.

She cited U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, a freshman Democrat from Michigan who represents a swing district, who has come out in favor of impeachment because it was the right thing to do whether it was popular or not, Belsito said.

She said she had been listening to the lengthy, ping-pong debate all afternoon, something she called the "theater of absurdity on the floor."

Another Democratic challenger to Moulton, Angus McQuilken, of Topsfield, said: "Donald Trump said that he was going to drain the swamp. Instead, he has created a cesspool of corruption in our nation's capital.

"The evidence is clear and convincing that Donald Trump abused the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign government in our elections, and that he obstructed a legitimate Congressional investigation," said McQuilken. "I support the articles of impeachment."