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Former Member, Committee on Foreign Affairs, United States House of Representatives
Former Member, Committee on Public Safety & Homeland Security, United States House of Representatives
Former Vice Chair, Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives
Former Secretary, House Appropriations Committee, United States House of Representatives
Former Member, House Committee on Defense and Veterans Affairs, United States House of Representatives
Former Member, House Committee on Health & Human Services, United States House of Representatives
Former Ranking Member, Judiciary Committee, United States House of Representatives
Former Member, Oversight and Government Reform Committee, United States House of Representatives
Former Member, Regulatory Reform, Commercial, and Antitrust Law Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives
Former Member, Rules Committee, United States House of Representatives
Former Chair, Subcommittee on Rules and Organization of the House, United States House of Representatives
Former Member, Committee on Foreign Affairs, United States House of Representatives
Former Member, Committee on Public Safety & Homeland Security, United States House of Representatives
Former Vice Chair, Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives
Former Secretary, House Appropriations Committee, United States House of Representatives
Former Member, House Committee on Defense and Veterans Affairs, United States House of Representatives
Former Member, House Committee on Health & Human Services, United States House of Representatives
Former Member, Oversight and Government Reform Committee, United States House of Representatives
Former Member, Regulatory Reform, Commercial, and Antitrust Law Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives
Former Member, Rules Committee, United States House of Representatives
Ranking Member, Judiciary
Chair, Subcommittee on Rules and Organization of the House
— Father's Occupation:
Favorite Quote:
"If you are afraid of the future, then get out of the way, stand aside. The people of this country are ready to move again." - President Ronald Reagan
— Mother's Occupation:
Spouse's Occupation:
5th Grade teacher at Mount Vernon Elementary School.
1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-life
1. In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- No
2. Do you support expanding federal funding to support entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare?
- Unknown Position
1. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Unknown Position
Do you support the protection of government officials, including law enforcement officers, from personal liability in civil lawsuits concerning alleged misconduct?
- Unknown Position
Do you support increasing defense spending?
- Yes
1. Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No
2. Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes
3. Do you support providing financial relief to businesses AND/OR corporations negatively impacted by the state of national emergency for COVID-19?
- Yes
1. Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
- No
1. Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, geo-thermal)?
- No
2. Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
- No
1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- No
1. Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- Yes
2. Do you support requiring businesses to provide paid medical leave during public health crises, such as COVID-19?
- Yes
1. Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border?
- Yes
2. Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
- Yes
1. Should the United States use military force to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a weapon of mass destruction (for example: nuclear, biological, chemical)?
- Unknown Position
2. Do you support reducing military intervention in Middle East conflicts?
- Unknown Position
Do you generally support removing barriers to international trade (for example: tariffs, quotas, etc.)?
- Yes
1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-life
1. Do you support a timetable for withdrawal from Afghanistan?
- No Answer
2. As someone who has served on the ground in Iraq, I believe the best decisions regarding a withdrawal in Afghanistan should be determined by the commanders and military leaders we have overseas who defend our country day in and day out. I support a timetable that is put in place by these men and women, but I feel we must not allow our enemies to learn of any definite plan.
- Doug Collins. Project Vote Smart: 2012 Georgia Congressional Political Courage Test. Selected "NO ANSWER" for: "Do you support United States' combat operations in Afghanistan?" Other or expanded principles: "As someone who has served on the ground in Iraq, I believe the best decisions regarding a withdrawal in Afghanistan should be determined by the commanders and military leaders we have overseas who defend our country day in and day out. I support a timetable that is put in place by these men and women, but I feel we must not allow our enemies to learn of any definite plan."
1. do you support reducing defense spending?
- No
2. do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- No
3. do you support reducing Medicaid spending?
- No Answer
4. do you support reducing Medicare spending?
- No Answer
5. Is balancing the budget a legislative priority?
- Yes
1. I do believe there is room for reform and increased transparency inside the election process, especially on the national level.
- "I do believe there is room for reform and increased transparency inside the election process, especially on the national level." https://votesmart.org/candidate/political-courage-test/67851/doug-collins/#.WqBNwa3SQfL (votesmart.org)
Rated 0% by Common Cause https://votesmart.org/candidate/evaluations/67851/doug-collins#.WqBRHq3SQfI (votesmart.org)
Rated 0% by Common Cause. https://votesmart.org/candidate/evaluations/67851/doug-collins/12#.XcBLyUFTkfI (votesmart.org)
"I do believe there is room for reform and increased transparency inside the election process, especially on the national level." https://votesmart.org/candidate/political-courage-test/67851/doug-collins/#.WqBNwa3SQfL (votesmart.org)
Rated 0% by Common Cause https://votesmart.org/candidate/evaluations/67851/doug-collins#.WqBRHq3SQfI (votesmart.org)
Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- Yes
1. Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No
2. Do you support providing tax incentives to businesses for the purpose of job creation?
- Yes
3. Do you support spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation?
- No
4. Do you support the temporary extension of unemployment benefits?
- No
5. Do you support the 2010 temporary extension of tax relief?
- Yes
1. I do not think it is the job of the federal government to require anything of the state concerning education. The more localized the control, the better. States should have control over their education system in order to promote competition amongst individual states, and implement better educational practices overall.
- Do you support requiring states to implement education reforms in order to be eligible for competitive federal grants? "No." http://votesmart.org/candidate/political-courage-test/67851/doug-collins/#.VXXyTnUViko (votesmart.org)
"There is no 'one size fits all' solution for education, and Washington should not be in the business of trying to create one." http://dougcollins.house.gov/education/ (dougcollins.house.gov)
Doug Collins. Project Vote Smart: 2012 Georgia Congressional Political Courage Test. Selected "NO ANSWER" for: "Do you support requiring states to implement education reforms in order to be eligible for competitive federal grants?" Other or expanded principles: "I do not think it is the job of the federal government to require anything of the state concerning education. The more localized the control, the better. States should have control over their education system in order to promote competition amongst individual states, and implement better educational practices overall."
Doug Collins. Issue Position: Education. 1 January 2012. "Taxpayers today are estimated to pay $120,000 on average per student from kindergarten through twelfth grade. Hardworking taxpayers should have more say in how that money is spent to best educate their children. There is no "one size fits all" solution for education, and Washington should not be in the business of trying to create one. No Child Left Behind has made it harder to educate students because it removed local control from communities. I believe that the decision making ability should be returned to the states to encourage localized reform. Giving parents the ability to choose safe and effective schools will encourage innovation and bring accountability to failing systems." (votesmart.org)
Do you support reducing restrictions on offshore energy production?
- Yes
1. Do you believe that human activity is contributing to climate change?
- No
2. We already have laws on the books that support regulations on greenhouse gas. I would have to review what future laws would be put on the books before I would sign on to more. Additionally, I have signed on to the No Climate Tax Pledge authored by Americans for Prosperity. This gives my vow I will oppose any legislation associated with climate change that implements a net increase in government revenue.
- Rated 0% by Enivornment America https://votesmart.org/interest-group/1826/rating/9790#.WfMwLme3wfI (votesmart.org)
Signed a letter stating: " [â?¦ ] we believe this carbon dioxide regulation whose implementation is legally questionable at best and would do untold harm to the American people and our economy for decades to come." http://jeffduncan.house.gov/sites/jeffduncan.house.gov/files/Duncan%20Carbon%20Emission%20Letter%20to%20EPA.pdf (jeffduncan.house.gov)
"We already have laws on the books that support regulations on greenhouse gas. I would have to review what future laws would be put on the books before I would sign on to more. Additionally, I have signed on to the No Climate Tax Pledge authored by Americans for Prosperity. This gives my vow I will oppose any legislation associated with climate change that implements a net increase in government revenue." http://votesmart.org/candidate/political-courage-test/67851/doug-collins/#.VXXyTnUViko (votesmart.org)
"Glad to see the @EPA delaying implementation of #WOTUS rule for 2 yrs while it looks for ways to reduce regulatory burdens. I've advocated for #GA09 farmers, ranchers, and biz that could suffer unnecessarily under this rule, and I welcome the decision from @EPAScottPruitt. #gapol" https://twitter.com/RepDougCollins/status/958837039855816704 (twitter.com)
Signed a letter stating: "we believe this carbon dioxide regulation whose implementation is legally questionable at best and would do untold harm to the American people and our economy for decades to come." http://jeffduncan.house.gov/sites/jeffduncan.house.gov/files/Duncan%20Carbon%20Emission%20Letter%20to%20EPA.pdf (jeffduncan.house.gov)
"Whatâ??s in Speaker Pelosiâ??s partisan wishlist:
-60+ mentions of cannabis
-Preventing state voter ID requirement -$50 million to the EPA for environmental justice grants
-Anti-work provisions
This is nothing more than a Democrat attempt to advance their left-wing agenda." https://twitter.com/RepDougCollins/status/1260986994097827842 (twitter.com)
"We already have laws on the books that support regulations on greenhouse gas. I would have to review what future laws would be put on the books before I would sign on to more. Additionally, I have signed on to the No Climate Tax Pledge authored by Americans for Prosperity. This gives my vow I will oppose any legislation associated with climate change that implements a net increase in government revenue." http://votesmart.org/candidate/political-courage-test/67851/doug-collins/#.VXXyTnUViko (votesmart.org)
Signed a letter stating: " [â?¦ ] we believe this carbon dioxide regulation whose implementation is legally questionable at best and would do untold harm to the American people and our economy for decades to come." http://jeffduncan.house.gov/sites/jeffduncan.house.gov/files/Duncan%20Carbon%20Emission%20Letter%20to%20EPA.pdf (jeffduncan.house.gov)
Rated 0% by Enivornment America https://votesmart.org/interest-group/1826/rating/9790#.WfMwLme3wfI (votesmart.org)
Signed a letter stating "[...]we believe this carbon dioxide regulation â?? whose implementation is legally questionable at best â?? would do untold harm to the American people and our economy for decades to come." http://jeffduncan.house.gov/sites/jeffduncan.house.gov/files/Duncan%20Carbon%20Emission%20Letter%20to%20EPA.pdf (jeffduncan.house.gov)
"We already have laws on the books that support regulations on greenhouse gas. I would have to review what future laws would be put on the books before I would sign on to more. Additionally, I have signed on to the No Climate Tax Pledge authored by Americans for Prosperity. This gives my vow I will oppose any legislation associated with climate change that implements a net increase in government revenue." http://votesmart.org/candidate/political-courage-test/67851/doug-collins/#.VXXyTnUViko (votesmart.org)
"[â?¦] I strongly support domestic drilling, which will expand our own energy production and reduce out of control gas prices." http://dougcollins.house.gov/energy/ (dougcollins.house.gov)
Signed a letter stating "[...]we believe this carbon dioxide regulation â?? whose implementation is legally questionable at best â?? would do untold harm to the American people and our economy for decades to come." http://jeffduncan.house.gov/sites/jeffduncan.house.gov/files/Duncan%20Carbon%20Emission%20Letter%20to%20EPA.pdf (jeffduncan.house.gov)
"We already have laws on the books that support regulations on greenhouse gas. I would have to review what future laws would be put on the books before I would sign on to more. Additionally, I have signed on to the No Climate Tax Pledge authored by Americans for Prosperity. This gives my vow I will oppose any legislation associated with climate change that implements a net increase in government revenue." http://votesmart.org/candidate/political-courage-test/67851/doug-collins/#.VXXyTnUViko (votesmart.org)
"[â?¦] I strongly support domestic drilling, which will expand our own energy production and reduce out of control gas prices." http://dougcollins.house.gov/energy/ (dougcollins.house.gov)
1. Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
- No
1. Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act?
- Yes
2. Should individuals be required to purchase health insurance, as mandated in the 2010 Affordable Care Act?
- No
1. Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
- Yes
2. Do you support allowing illegal immigrants, who were brought to the United States as minors, to pursue citizenship without returning to their country of origin?
- No Answer
3. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration law by state and local police?
- No Answer
Do you support same-sex marriage?
- No
1. Should the U.S use military force in order to prevent Iran from possessing a nuclear weapon?
- No Answer
2. I believe Iran is an imminent threat to the United States and also one of our greatest friends, Israel. Protecting our citizenry from any threat -- foreign or domestic -- is an obligation the federal government must uphold; however, it should do so without violating the basic rights every member of our citizenry has been granted under the Constitution.
- "Our country has built the greatest military unit in the world, and I will fight every day in Washington to ensure that legacy continues and our liberties are protected. That includes providing the proper funding to get the job done while consistently protecting our troops. We must ensure America never bows down to her enemies." http://dougcollins.house.gov/defense-national-security-and-veteran-affairs/ (dougcollins.house.gov)
Doug Collins. Project Vote Smart: 2012 Georgia Congressional Political Courage Test. Selected "NO ANSWER" for: "Do you support targeting suspected terrorists outside of official theaters of conflict?" Other or expanded principles: "I believe Iran is an imminent threat to the United States and also one of our greatest friends, Israel. Protecting our citizenry from any threat -- foreign or domestic -- is an obligation the federal government must uphold; however, it should do so without violating the basic rights every member of our citizenry has been granted under the Constitution."
Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts?
- Yes
1. Agriculture
- No Answer
2. Arts
- No Answer
3. Defense
- No Answer
4. Education
- No Answer
5. Environment
- No Answer
6. Homeland Security
- No Answer
7. International aid
- No Answer
8. Medical Research
- No Answer
9. Scientific Research
- No Answer
10. Space exploration
- No Answer
11. United Nations
- Eliminate
12. Welfare
- No Answer
13. Other or expanded categories
- No Answer
14. Capital gains taxes
- Greatly Decrease
15. Corporate taxes
- Greatly Decrease
16. Excise taxes (alcohol)
- No Answer
17. Excise taxes (cigarettes)
- No Answer
18. Excise taxes (transportation fuel)
- No Answer
19. Income taxes (low-income families)
- No Answer
20. Income taxes (middle-income families)
- No Answer
21. Income taxes (high-income families)
- No Answer
22. Inheritance taxes
- No Answer
23. Payroll taxes
- No Answer
1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-life
1. In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- No
2. In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending?
- No
1. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Yes
1. Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No
2. Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes
1. Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
- No
1. Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- Yes
2. Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
- No
1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- No
1. Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- Yes
1. Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border?
- Yes
2. Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
- Yes
Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
- No
1. Should the United States use military force in order to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a nuclear weapon?
- Yes
2. Do you support increased American intervention in Middle Eastern conflicts beyond air support?
- Yes
Latest Action: House - 06/21/2019 Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Tracker:Latest Action: House - 06/19/2019 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Tracker:Latest Action: House - 06/19/2019 Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.
Tracker:
MARIETTA, Ga. (AP) — A Republican congressman’s decision to challenge freshly appointed Sen. Kelly Loeffler is pitting two visions of the GOP’s future against each other. So far, it’s divided voters and been anything but polite. Loeffler, 49, is a wealthy businesswoman and political newcomer who filled a vacant Senate seat in January after being appointed by Georgia’s governor. Top Republicans hope she’ll help the GOP lure back suburban women, a pivotal voting bloc that’s fled the party in dismay over President Donald Trump’s crude behavior and hard-edged policies. But among those challenging Loeffler in a Nov. 3 special election is Rep. Doug Collins, a four-term congressman popular with the GOP’s conservative base. Collins, 53, who makes frequent appearances on the right-leaning Fox News Channel, was one of Trump’s fiercest defenders during the impeachment fight as the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, and he’s portraying himself as more conservative and loyal to Trump than Loeffler is. Against the backdrop of this year’s presidential and congressional elections, the showdown looms as a test of which path makes sense for the GOP in a red-leaning state where Democrats have carved robust inroads. It’s also left many voters struggling to make up their minds. “Doug Collins has got a track record. Kelly is an unknown product,” said Tony Casteel, an electrical contractor from Marietta, a bustling suburb in Cobb County, just northwest of Atlanta. “But you know, I understand why Gov. Kemp appointed Kelly. He’s trying to reach out to suburban women. Cobb County has gone blue.” The fight has fed GOP worries of a battle that could wound Republicans in Georgia this fall. Trump, GOP Sen. David Perdue and the state’s 14 House seats will also be on the ballot. Instead of separate party primaries for Loeffler’s seat, Georgia has lumped all candidates into a single contest Nov. 3. If no one receives half the vote, there will be a Jan. 5 runoff between the top two vote-getters, no matter their affiliation. Republicans fret that a drawn-out battle between Loeffler and Collins will bloody both, leaving a Democrat unscathed and likely qualifying for the runoff. That could be the Rev. Raphael Warnock, who is backed by Washington Democrats and is pastor of the Atlanta church where Martin Luther King Jr. preached. “If we’re busy tearing ourselves apart in September and October, we could lose Sen. Perdue and lose the state for the president and lose” Loeffler’s seat, too, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., said in an interview. Gingrich is backing Loeffler. Republicans control the Senate, 53-47. Democrats will need to gain at least four seats to capture the majority if Trump is reelected, one less if he’s not. Democrats’ chances of winning control seem uphill, and GOP-held seats in Colorado, Arizona, Maine and North Carolina are considered more at risk than Georgia’s. The faceoff between Loeffler and Collins has been intense. On Thursday, the executive director of Senate Republicans’ official campaign arm — which supports Loeffler — retweeted a report by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the organization was warning top GOP Senate aides to steer clear of a fundraiser Collins had planned for early March. Kevin McLaughlin, who runs the National Republican Senatorial Committee, tweeted Thursday that Collins’ campaign was a “kamikaze mission” whose staffers don’t “give a damn about irreparable harm they’re doing to Collins or POTUS,” the acronym for president of the United States. The campaign committee is allied with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., a Loeffler supporter. As the Senate considered two GOP bills Tuesday curbing abortions — doomed votes that Collins’ backers suspected were aimed at letting Loeffler burnish her conservative credentials — Collins’ campaign was running digital ads. They accused Loeffler of backing abortion rights and said, “She should re-file to run as a Democrat.” The spots cited a 2018 promotion by the WNBA — Loeffler owns the Atlanta Dream, one of the women’s basketball league’s teams — in which money was distributed to groups including Planned Parenthood. One of Collins’ ads included a doctored picture of Loeffler holding out a handful of cash under Planned Parenthood’s logo. Loeffler, who declined requests for interviews, spoke on the Senate floor during Tuesday’s abortion debate. “I pray that the American people will recognize that lives hang in the balance,” she said. She voted for both Republican bills to curb abortions. Loeffler’s supporters accused Collins of lingering resentment over his failed attempt to persuade Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp to select him for the vacant seat. Collins had Trump’s support for the appointment, but it went to Loeffler. In a reference to that episode, spokesman Jesse Hunt of the Senate campaign committee called Collins “everything Georgians hate about Washington: a swamp creature drunk off the bitter taste of sour grapes.” The committee also greeted Collins’ entry into the race by warning it would do no business with his political consultants if they stayed with him. The organization, which spends over $100 million every election cycle, has for years had a policy of protecting incumbents against GOP challengers. “We’ve had to overcome the establishment from trying to kill us off, threatening our vendors,” Collins said in an interview. “We’re moving right ahead.” Loeffler took office Jan. 6 to replace GOP Sen. Johnny Isakson, 75, who retired in faltering health. She has stressed messaging focused on support for Trump and conservative causes like gun rights and building a wall along the Mexican border. Loeffler, whose husband runs a company that owns the New York Stock Exchange, has pledged to spend $20 million of her own money on the campaign and already has ads blanketing TV. “Kelly will invest whatever it takes to win,” said spokeswoman Caitlin O’Dea. McConnell has urged Trump to endorse Loeffler, according to one GOP consultant, while another said McConnell has told Trump he will back her no matter what the president does. Both Republicans spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations, and both said Trump gave no clear indication of what he will do. Loeffler’s supporters have tried persuading Collins to abandon the race, to no avail. In one suggestion that the White House has sought an alternative, Trump told reporters last week that he was considering nominating Collins as national intelligence director. That idea didn’t bear fruit. Republican presidential candidates have carried Georgia since 1996. Even so, the state’s suburbs, echoing the rest of the nation’s, have turned increasingly blue, which along with growing populations of Hispanics and other minorities have made Democrats more competitive and Republicans nervous. “It’s no secret that Republicans have been hurting among college-educated women in suburban communities across the nation, and Atlanta is filled with college-educated suburban women voters,” said GOP pollster Whit Ayres. In Collins’ hometown of Gainesville, Georgia, retirees Angela and Louis Spear said they supported Collins. “He’s been real effective in the House, and he’s done a great job during the impeachment hearings,” said Louis Spear. Karyl McBurnett, a Republican from Rockmart, Georgia, said she was leaning toward Loeffler. She said Collins’ familiarity among conservatives was irrelevant. “It’s what they stand for and the changes that they want to make,” McBurnett said. ___ Fram reported from Washington.Source: https://www.realclearpolitics.com/
By Doug Collins Compelling, overwhelming and bipartisan: These are the criteria Speaker Nancy Pelosi drew as she publicly announced last March that she wouldn't support impeachment. Back then she claimed impeaching the president with anything less would be divisive and irresponsible. Ten months later, however, Mrs. Pelosi has transmitted two articles of impeachment that fail to meet any of her criteria, let alone those of the Founders. As the Senate considers how to fulfill its constitutional role, Mrs. Pelosi's words from March ring true. An impeachment supported by only one party is a failure. Refusing to proceed in a bipartisan manner reveals the Democrats' lack of thoroughness and seriousness and, above all, their lack of compelling evidence. This impeachment is antithetical to the letter and spirit of the Constitution and, as the speaker would have agreed until recently, deeply damaging to the country. Whether Democrats accept it or not, the House's primary role in this matter is now complete. One hundred senators now hold the president's fate. They should refuse to accept the House Democrats' sham process. The articles of impeachment before the Senate warrant not only acquittal of the president, but also the Senate's absolute rejection of the dangerous precedent that has already been set. Since the day Donald Trump was elected, House Democrats have sought to trigger the nuclear option by removing a duly elected president from office, an action never completed in U.S. history. Democrats claim Mr. Trump represents a continuing threat to American democracy. In the name of urgency, Democrats ram-rodded their impeachment case through the House. Yet for nearly a month, Mrs. Pelosi wouldn't stand behind her own caucus. She refused to send the articles of impeachment to the Senate for trial, belying Democrats' supposed fear of an imminent threat. She waited because she knew House Democrats ran a sham process and have no substantive case to pass on to the Senate. The House's duty in impeachment is to build the case for removal by questioning witnesses and gathering evidence. But House Democrats were unwilling to spend the time to conduct a thorough and fair investigation. The result is a case, as liberal law professor Jonathan Turley testified, with "one of the thinnest records to ever go forward on impeachment." House Republicans repeatedly cautioned our Democratic colleagues that the impeachment process they formulated in their authorizing resolution was unfair and ineffective. Previous impeachments allowed presidents to have their lawyers question witnesses. Take David Kendall's cross-examination of independent counsel Kenneth Starr during the impeachment of President Clinton. What similar opportunities were Mr. Trump and his team afforded? Only the chance to question liberal law professors and Democratic donors who doubled as committee Democrats' temporary consultants. House Republicans cautioned that the Judiciary Committee was the appropriate venue--and committee of precedent--for substantive impeachment hearings. During both the Nixon and Clinton impeachment proceedings, the deliberative nature of the proceedings allowed for a true and compelling story to emerge. The only question for the committee was whether impeachment was the proper legal remedy. The facts were presented, and members on both sides of the aisle couldn't deny the evidence. By contrast, during this impeachment the House Intelligence Committee released a report--with evidence collected primarily behind closed doors--and handed it off to the Judiciary Committee to cherry-pick facts on which to base its legal conclusions. House Republicans cautioned that impeachment merits serious investigation. The Nixon and Clinton impeachment efforts were preceded by thorough independent investigations that took months, even years. The number of days between the House's authorization of the inquiry to the passage of articles of impeachment against Mr. Trump? Forty-eight--and the president was invited to engage in the process for nine of those days, during which only two hearings were held. By that point, the fix was in. House Republicans cautioned that impeachment should be conducted with at least some semblance of objectivity. The Nixon and Clinton investigations were conducted by counsels independent from Congress, but this time around House Democrats empowered Rep. Adam Schiff--best known for his empty claim of discovering "more than circumstantial evidence" of Russian collusion. He assumed the role of lead prosecutor and did what he does best: overpromise and under-deliver, while attempting to distract the American people with boldfaced lies. Throughout this sham impeachment, Democrats refused House Republicans' calls to follow precedent by slowing down, seeking redress in the courts and permitting the president's counsel to participate in a meaningful way. One thing remained clear: House Democrats were fixated on a self-imposed deadline--a clock and a calendar--and nothing could get in their way. Not even the facts. The Senate faces a historic decision that will set the standard for impeachment for generations to come. The case House Democrats built in support of their impeachment articles is unconvincing and unsupported by evidence. The process by which they built that case was demonstrably unjust. There is only one path that will uphold the Founders' vision and safeguard the will of the American people: Reject the temptation of partisan impeachment and expeditiously acquit the president.
Collins announced on March 9, 2020, that he would self-quarantine following his exposure to an individual at the Conservative Political Action Conference who had tested positive for coronavirus. Coronavirus pandemic Select a topic from the dropdown below to learn more.Political responses overviewState reopening plansDocumenting America's Path to RecoveryDaily updatesElection changesChanges to vote-by-mail and absentee voting proceduresFederal responsesState responsesState executive ordersStay-at-home ordersMultistate agreementsNon-governmental reopening plansEvictions and foreclosures policiesTravel restrictionsEnacted state legislationState legislative session changesSchool closuresState court closuresInmate releasesLocal government responsesDiagnosed or quarantined politiciansBallot measure changesArguments about government responsesThe 1918 influenza pandemicPandemic Response Accountability CommitteeUnemployment filingsLawsuitsSubmit COVID-19, also known as coronavirus disease 2019.
