ROCHESTER, MI -- U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Holly, told constituents why she decided to support articles of impeachment facing President Donald Trump during a heated town hall frequently disrupted by Republican protesters.
Facing persistent cries of opposition at a packed event in Oakland County, Slotkin said Trump clearly abused his power for his own political gain, making her decision necessary, regardless of the political consequences. The freshmen congresswoman said backing impeachment is the biggest decision of her short political career and acknowledged it will make her unpopular with many in her politically-divided district.
“I hope you can believe that I made this decision out of principle,” Slotkin said. “I will stick to that regardless of what it does to me politically because this is bigger than politics.”
A majority of the crowd stood and applauded when Slotkin explained her decision to vote “yes” Wednesday when the House is expected to hold its vote on the articles of impeachment.
More than a dozen Trump supporters provided a steady stream of “MAGA” “four more years” and anti-Slotkin chants from the corner of the event space. The protest came close to disrupting the event at one point when Trump supporters clashed with Louie Fanelli, a 29-year-old Oakland University student and Auburn Hills resident who accused Trump of supporting white supremacy.
Many more Republicans, mobilized by Trump Victory field organizers, peacefully sat among the crowd as Slotkin pushed on to deliver her remarks through the noise.
Marcy Freeman, a 50-year-old Rochester woman, brought her 16-year-old daughter to witness direct democracy in action. Freeman said the evidence hasn’t been able to convince her Trump committed impeachable acts.
“I don’t see it,” Freeman said. “I just don’t see it.”
Srijit Sengupta, a Troy man who recently gained U.S. citizenship after immigrating from India, said Slotkin is denying the will of her constituents.
“This is the problem of Washington where people feel so entitled, that they can do whatever they want, whenever they want, and however they want,” Sengupta said.
Slotkin announced her decision through an opinion piece published Monday morning in The Detroit Free Press. She made up her mind Sunday night after taking the weekend to study the articles of impeachment, evidence gathered during the last several months of investigation and the nation’s founding documents, Slotkin said.
“There just has to be some decisions that are beyond the political calculus,” Slotkin said after the event. “It may be that voters decide in 2020 that they don’t want me as their representative. I hope that’s not the case, and I hope that even if people don’t agree with my decision, they see that I based my decision on my personal integrity.”
Slotkin expressed support for both articles of impeachment unveiled by House Democrats. One accuses Trump of abusing his presidential power by urging Ukraine to investigate 2020 presidential hopeful Joe Biden while withholding military aid. The other accuses Trump of obstructing Congress’ efforts to investigate his actions.
Slotkin did not support impeaching Trump until September, resisting pressure to call for the president’s removal after the U.S. special counsel issued a report detailing Trump’s alleged obstruction of justice.
Slotkin said presidents often wield their power to influence other counties, but Trump’s alleged attempt to leverage funds approved by Congress and a White House meeting was “fundamentally different." Slotkin said Trump sought an investigation of Biden’s family for his own political gain, instead of the good of the country.
Trump supporters said the president had a legitimate reason to root out Biden’s alleged corruption in Ukraine. Slotkin disagreed, saying Trump’s claims are unfounded.
The president crossed a line by asking Ukraine to investigate alleged corruption instead of American investigators like the FBI or CIA, Slotkin said. It’s up to Congress to be a check on executive overreach, she said.
“I do believe we live in a world where there are still facts, where there’s still data, where there’s still rules, and there’s still standards,” Slotkin said. “I’m not going to mealy-mouth, something just because I think it might go down easier for people who are critics of mine.”
Slotkin leaned on her experience as a former CIA official to explain her unique insight into how Trump threatened national security. However, Trump supporters at the town hall said Slotkin’s affiliation with the CIA makes her cozy with “deep state” bureaucrats working to overturn the 2016 election.
“I’m yelling Slotkin is a spy because of her CIA background,” Sengupta said. “I think anybody who is related with the FBI and the CIA and those agencies, they have a lot to answer for.”
Sengupta said the ongoing investigation into the FBI’s 2016 probe into Trump’s campaign is revealing troubling information about how entrenched public officials are working against Trump.
The Justice Department inspector general released a report concluding the FBI had adequate cause to open an investigation into possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia, though Republicans argue law enforcement overstepped their authority.
Trump supporters made it clear they do not trust the intelligence community and find her CIA background suspicious. Slotkin said the president should trust his law enforcement agencies and rebuffed the idea of the FBI or CIA concocting a “coup” against him.
State Rep. Matt Maddock, R-Milford, told reporters Slotkin is merely “following the marching orders” of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Slotkin said she did not face pressure from House leadership.
Maddock said Slotkin herself will be “impeached” when voters don’t support her reelection campaign in 2020.
Slotkin said it was important for her to address her constituents directly. She wasn’t surprised to see the emotion brought out on both sides either.
“I knew it would be controversial either way, and I feel very firmly that I’m doing what I think is right,” Slotkin said after the forum.