Florida Sen. Rick Scott has joined with several other Republicans in filing a resolution calling for the dismissal of impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump.
In a news release Monday, Scott announced he joined other members of the Senate in introducing the resolution, which was filed by Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo.
On Dec. 20, the House of Representatives voted to impeach Trump on two articles of impeachment – abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Since the vote, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has held the articles and has yet to turn them over to the Senate.
Hawley’s resolution calls for dismissal of the impeachment if the articles are not handed over “within 25 calendar days” of the vote.
“If, following adoption of such articles, the House of Representatives does not so notify the Senate or otherwise provide for such articles to be exhibited to the Senate within 25 calendar days from the date of adoption of such articles, as recorded in the Journal of the House of Representatives, such articles shall be deemed exhibited before the Senate and it shall be in order for any Senator to offer a motion to dismiss such articles with prejudice for failure by the House of Representatives to prosecute such articles,” the resolution states.
In the news release, Scott said Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, are “making a mockery of our government.”
“Democrats have wanted to impeach Donald Trump since he came down that escalator four years ago. They just hate Trump,” Scott said in the release. But [House Intelligence Committee] Chairman [Adam] Schiff did a great job showing the American people that the President did nothing wrong and that this is just an effort to undo the 2016 election.
“If Nancy Pelosi doesn’t want to send the articles to the Senate, we should dismiss the articles of impeachment and get back to work on all the things that aren’t getting done, like securing the border, passing No Budget, No Pay and lowering the cost of prescription drugs.”
According to the release, the resolution “would amend the Senate’s impeachment rules to prevent this abuse of the Constitution and protect the Senate’s sole power to try impeachment.”
The other senators who introduced the resolution:
- Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind.
- Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.
- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas
- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont.
- Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo.
- Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark.
- Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa
- Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga.
- Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla.
