Maryland’s sole Republican Congress member bailed on Wednesday’s historic vote to impeach President Donald Trump for a second time.
Embattled Rep. Andy Harris — who has been called on to resign by other lawmakers in the aftermath of the deadly siege at the U.S. Capitol — called the impeachment vote “pointless” because Joe Biden will be president in less than a week.
Instead, Harris, an anesthesiologist, said in a tweet he was “caring for patients,” and noted that he would have voted against impeachment.
“[House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s] divisive, hastily called, and politically motivated snap impeachment is a waste of time when we will swear in President-elect Biden in fewer than seven days’ time,” Harris said.
“In light of his calls for unity and healing, I call on the President-elect to disavow this action. Engaging in a political impeachment that will be moot in one week was another waste of time brought to you by the Democrat majority.”
In all, 10 Republican Congress members sided with the Democrats in Wednesday’s 232-197 vote. There were three other Republicans who did not vote: Kay Granger of Texas; Gregory Murphy of North Carolina; and Daniel Webster of Florida.
Harris has been accused of stoking insurrection in the run-up to last week’s siege.
On Monday, 71 members of the state House of Delegates and 13 members of the state Senate signed a letter calling on Harris to resign.
