Democrat Anthony Brindisi Backs Impeachment: Trump Actions 'Unconstitutional'

Freshman swing district Democrat Rep. Anthony Brindisi (D-NY) said Tuesday he plans to vote for both articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump.

Rep. Brindisi became the latest Democrat to back impeachment, alleging President Trump’s conversations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky violate the Constitution.

“The fact this president withheld aid from Ukraine for his own political gain is very troubling,” the freshman New York Democrat said. “In fact, I think it’s unconstitutional.”

The freshman Democrat said his decision to back impeachment gave him “great pain” because he said he has worked the president’s administration on issues such as trade and national security.

“President Trump is my president, too. I always said I would work with him, but that I would put our country first and stand up for what I believe in,” he added.

Rep. Brindisi said he is not worried about the political ramifications of his decision to back impeachment.

The New York congressman said, “I know some people will be upset with me, but I was elected to do what was right, not what’s good for me politically.”

Brindisi represents New York’s 22nd congressional district, which is one of the 13 congressional districts that President Trump won during the 2016 presidential election, and that House Democrats flipped during the 2018 midterm elections.

Then-candidate Brindisi defeated incumbent Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY) by 1.8 percentage points.

Rep. Brindisi’s support for impeachment could imperil his chances of getting reelected, as President Trump won New York’s 22nd congressional district by 15 percentage points, which is the second-largest margin in any congressional district currently held by a Democrat.

In reaction to the news that Rep. Brindisi will back impeachment, former Rep. Tenney said that caved to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).

“Today is a sad day for America, it is the first time Congress will impeach a president without a crime being committed,” Tenney said. “@ABrindisiNY promised to be different but instead has fallen right in line with his liberal donors and Nancy Pelosi.”

Asked if there will be political retribution for his decision to back impeachment, Rep. Brindisi said, “That’s going to be up to the voters to decide.”

Brindisi added, “I was sent to Washington to do what is right, and that’s what I’m basing my decision on.”