Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.) said in a statement Wednesday that he will vote to convict President Trump on both articles of impeachment.
Why it matters: Jones is one of the most vulnerable Senate Democrats up for re-election in 2020, and the decision to vote in favor of removing Trump from office is likely to play a significant role in the deep-red Alabama Senate campaign.
What he's saying:
"Having done my best to see through the fog of partisanship, I am deeply troubled by the arguments put forth by the President’s lawyers in favor of virtually unchecked presidential power. In this case, the evidence clearly proves the President used the weight of his office and that of the United States government to coerce a foreign government to interfere in our election for his personal benefit. ..."
“The President’s actions demonstrate a belief that he is above the law, that Congress has no power whatsoever in questioning or examining his actions, and that all who do so, do so at their peril. That belief, unprecedented in the history of this country, simply must not be permitted to stand. To do otherwise risks guaranteeing that no future whistleblower or witness will ever come forward and no future President — Democrat or Republican — will be subject to Congressional oversight as mandated by the Constitution.”
Go deeper: Live updates from the impeachment trial
