US: Michigan Republican defends impeachment vote

Michigan Rep. Peter Meijer, one of just 10 Republicans who voted to impeach then-President Donald Trump over the deadly attack on the Capitol, defended his decision while taking pointed criticism from voters Wednesday night.

Meijer spoke during his first town hall, a virtual event that 400-plus people watched on Zoom or Facebook.

The freshman lawmaker took part from his office in Washington DC.

Meijer said Trump told “two fundamental lies” after losing to Democrat Joe Biden - falsely stating that the election had been stolen and that Jan. 6, the day Congress counted electoral votes, was a chance to “stop the steal”.

Trump, who had exhorted his supporters to “fight like hell” shortly before they swarmed the Capitol, took close to 2 1/2 hours to issue a video urging them to go home despite the riot having turned deadly, Meijer said.

The article of impeachment, Meijer said, "referenced those two significant falsehoods, the two lies that led to the violence on the capital that day. One landslide stolen election, November 3rd and two the January 6th day to stop that steal".

Two constituents who asked questions said they were deeply disappointed with Meijer, a 33-year-old Iraq War veteran who represents the 3rd District in western Michigan.

One of them claimed that no court looked at evidence of election fraud.

There was not widespread fraud, as was confirmed by a range of voting officials and by former Attorney General William Barr, a Trump appointee.