U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) released the below statement after the GOP-controlled Senate’s vote to give impeached President Trump a pass on his abuse of power and obstruction following a trial with no witnesses and evidence:

The fundamental Checks and Balances of the U.S. Constitution are weaker today after GOP Senators let impeached President Trump off the hook for his betrayal of his oath of office. President Trump abused his power to solicit foreign interference in our elections for his own personal political gain, thereby jeopardizing our national security, the integrity of our elections and our democracy. When the President got caught, he tried to cover it up by obstructing the House’s investigation into his misconduct.

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and GOP Senators then failed in their responsibility to America and ignored their Oath to do “impartial justice.”  They turned a blind eye to any concept of a “fair trial.” Some GOP senators criticized the President for his wrongdoing, but in the end did nothing to restrain the President from future wrongdoing.

In the words of my colleague Adam Schiff (D-CA):

“Can any of us really have the confidence that Donald Trump won’t put his personal interests ahead of the national interests? Is there really any evidence in this presidency that should give us the ironclad confidence that he would do so?

“You know you can’t count on him to do that. That’s the sad truth. You know you can’t count on him to do that. The American people deserve a President they can count on to put their interests first, to put their interests first. Colonel Vindman said, “Here, right matters. Here, right matters.” Well, let me tell you something, if right doesn’t matter, if right doesn’t matter, it doesn’t matter how good the Constitution is. It doesn’t matter how brilliant the framers were. Doesn’t matter how good or bad our advocacy in this trial is. Doesn’t matter how well written the Oath of Impartiality is. If right doesn’t matter, we’re lost.”

And my colleague Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY):

“President Trump tried to cheat and solicit foreign interference in an American election. That is in attack on our character. President Trump abused his power and corrupted the highest office in the land. That is an attack on our character. President Trump tried to cover it all up and hide it from the American people and obstruct Congress. That’s an extraordinary attack on our character. America is a great nation. We can handle adversity better than any other country in the world, but what are we going to do about our character?”

I know my Tampa neighbors and I will continue to value America’s Constitution, to show that what is right still matters, and demonstrate that we still possess the character essential in “keeping our Republic.” The hard fact is President Trump’s behavior and the vote of GOP Senators today make it that much harder for us to prove this to the world and to our kids and grandkids.