Politics

Former Sen. Jeff Flake Torn On Impeachment, Urges GOP To Dump Trump For 2020

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Phillip Nieto Contributor
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Former Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake urged congressional Republicans to abandon their support for President Donald Trump in the upcoming 2020 election as the House impeachment inquiry moves forward.

“My fellow Republicans, it is time to risk your careers in favor of your principles. Whether you believe the president deserves impeachment, you know he does not deserve reelection,” Flake said in a Washington Post op-ed on Monday.”Trust me when I say that you can go elsewhere for a job. But you cannot go elsewhere for a soul.” (RELATED: Jeff Flake Says He Would Support A Democrat In 2020, And He Names Names)

Flake has been a vocal critic of the president since before his retirement from the Senate back in January. The former Arizona senator notes that there will be political consequences for those opposing Trump.

“I am living those consequences. I would have preferred to represent the citizens of Arizona for another term in the Senate. But not at the cost of supporting this man. A man who has, now more than ever, proved to be so manifestly undeserving of the highest office that we have,” he added.

Susan Collins of Maine, and Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, are among the few in the GOP who have refused to publicly endorse Trump for the 2020 election.

In the op-ed, Flake says, “Compelling arguments will be made on both sides of the impeachment question” but he later writes “with what we now know, the president’s actions warrant impeachment.” He notes that attempting to remove Trump from office might backfire.

“Although Article II, Section 4 is clear about remedies for abuse of office, I have grave reservations about impeachment. I fear that, given the profound division in the country, an impeachment proceeding at such a toxic moment might actually benefit a president who thrives on chaos,” Flake writes. “Disunion is the oxygen of this presidency.”

He adds, “Let us stop failing now, while there is still time.”