Newman: No unity without accountability

U.S. Rep. Marie Newman argued the country cannot come together after the sieging of the Capitol on Jan. 6 unless the Republicans who upheld the false claim of widespread voter fraud are held accountable.

Newman, D-La Grange, sent an email to supporters last week titled “No unity without accountability.”

“Impeaching President Trump for inciting insurrection is just the first step in protecting our democracy,” Newman wrote. “We can’t stop until every Republican member of Congress who stood by him and paved the way for last week’s domestic terrorist attack is held accountable for their betrayal of their oath of office.”

In just her first couple of weeks as a member of Congress, Newman has been especially critical of President Donald Trump for continuing to falsely claim he won the presidential election and for inciting the riot at the Capitol. She also voted for impeaching Trump last week for inciting insurrection.

Newman explained in the email that she is co-sponsoring a resolution filed by fellow freshman Rep. Cori Bush, D-Missouri, to investigate and remove Republican members of Congress who “tried to overturn the results of the election and incite sedition,” she wrote.

Some Republicans have argued a second impeachment of Trump would continue to divide the country during an already turbulent time of polarization and a continuing global pandemic.

But Newman argued that Trump and other Republicans must answer for their actions.

“Unity means justice,” she wrote. “Unity means accountability.”