Red River Valley Responds to Impeachment Trial

A petition submitted to Senator Hoeven and Senator Cramer asks the senators to uphold the integrity of the trial system, and call for witnesses and pertinent documents during the trial.

FARGO, N.D. – With the impeachment trial in full swing, people in our region are vocal about the issue.

One man from Pelican Lake thinks the Senate is wasting their time.

“I don’t think there should have been an impeachment vote in the first place because we have too much stuff to do in this country to waste our time trying to get rid of one person,” said a man from Pelican Lake. “Let the man do his job, and the rest of you, get back to work and do your jobs. That’s all America wants.”

Others think that a fair trial and an open mind are needed.

“I think they should listen to the evidence and make a good honest decision, not one that’s politically motivated,” said Mike Murphy, a resident in the Red River Valley.

For a large group of citizens, 358 of them to be precise, they’ve gone as far as putting their John Hancock on a petition, urging North Dakota Senators Hoeven and Cramer to keep an open mind.

The signatures had been collected from the eastern side of the state.

The petition also asks the senators to uphold the integrity of the trial system, and call for witnesses and pertinent documents during the trial.

“For us, this was really to not make it about one person, but to make it about the process. We all live under, hopefully, one law, and we are all governed by one constitution,” said Madeline Luke.

“From our perspective, it’s not political. We aren’t asking the senators to vote one way or the other. All we really want to know is the truth, what really hapenned, and we want it to be done in a fair process, so that the truth comes out,” said Joseph DeMasi, a concerned citizen. “Whatever that truth may be.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer proposed an Amendment that would have introduced documents and witnesses into the the impeachment trial.

Senators Hoeven and Cramer both voted no on the amendment. That amendment was struck down 53-47.