Politics
- President Donald Trump on Wednesday implied that a late Michigan congressman is in hell after his wife, Rep. Debbie Dingell voted to support impeachment.
- Speaking at a rally in Battle Creek, Michigan, while the House of Representatives voted in Washington, DC, to pass two articles of impeachment against him, Trump relayed a story about how he honored Dingell's late husband, former Rep. John Dingell, after his death.
- Trump said he spoke to Dingell, who said her husband was "looking down, he'd be so thrilled."
- "I said: 'That's okay, don't worry about it.' Maybe he's looking up, I don't know," he said to audible groans from the crowds.
- Dingell died in February at the age of 92. The beloved Michigan Democrat was the longest-serving member of Congress in US history.
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President Donald Trump on Wednesday implied that a late Michigan congressman is in hell after his wife, Rep. Debbie Dingell, a Democrat, voted to impeach him during a highly-anticipated House vote.
Trump made his remarks at a campaign rally in Battle Creek, Michigan, while the House of Representatives voted in Washington, DC, to pass two articles of impeachment against him. Trump has been charged with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, and proceedings will be sent to the Senate for trial.
Dingell on Tuesday defended her decision to vote for impeachment in an op-ed in The New York Times, saying that Trump's actions are a "threat to our democracy."
"If we don't address this abuse of power, we abdicate our constitutional and moral responsibility," Dingell wrote. "Failing to address it would also condone these actions as acceptable for future administrations."
Dingell's actions appeared to strike a chord with Trump, who called out her impeachment vote as an act of betrayal after Trump says he gave her late husband, John Dingell, the "A+ treatment" during his funeral proceedings after he passed away in February.
"Debbie Dingell, that's a real beauty," he told the crowd at his Michigan rally.
"I didn't give [John] the B treatment, I didn't give him the C or the D - I could've - I gave him the A+ treatment," he continued, describing how he ordered flags to be flown at half-mast in honor of Dingell, who was the longest-serving member of Congress in history.
He then described how Rep. Debbie Dingell called him to express gratitude for the gesture.
"She calls me up: 'It's the nicest thing that's ever happened, thank you so much,'" he said, imitating a despondent Dingell mourning her husband. "John would be so thrilled. He's looking down, he'd be so thrilled. Thank you so much sir."
"I said: 'That's okay, don't worry about it.' Maybe he's looking up, I don't know," he said to audible groans from the crowds.
"But let's assume he's looking down," Trump quickly added, noticing the response from the audience.
Watch the moment here:
Trump laments that Debbie Dingell voted to impeach him despite the fact that he allowed the normal state funeral to proceed for her late husband, former Rep. John Dingell. Trump then suggests John Dingell is in hell -- to audible groans. pic.twitter.com/wsYfddNIA9
- Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 19, 2019