Western Pennsylvania’s congressional representatives stuck to party lines in Wednesday’s vote by the U.S. House to impeach President Trump.

Reps. Conor Lamb, D-Mt. Lebanon, and Mike Doyle, D-Forest Hills, voted yes on impeaching the embattled president for his role inciting last week’s violent storming of the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters that left four civilians and a police officer dead.

The pair joined every Democrat and 10 House Republicans in favor of impeaching Trump in the 232-197 vote.

Among those who voted no on impeachment: Republican Reps. Guy Reschenthaler, Mike Kelly, Glenn Thompson and John Joyce.

During debate on the House floor, Reschenthaler, R-Peters, took to the podium to condemn Democrats for the move.

Referencing Trump’s latest statement regarding a commitment to a peaceful transfer of power, the ardent Trump ally insisted that Trump’s speech prior to the angry mob’s march toward the Capitol on Jan. 6 did not meet the necessary criteria to support the “incitement to insurrection” charge.

Reschenthaler said Trump called for his supporters to “peacefully and patriotically make their voices heard.” He did not address Trump’s instructions to his supporters to “fight like hell” to keep their government.

Fellow Trump supporter Mike Kelly, R-Butler, issued a statement similarly saying that he does not believe Trump “committed an impeachable offense when he told those at the rally to protest peacefully and make their voices heard.”

“If America is to come together, political games have to stop,” Kelly said. “Impeachment of a president for First Amendment protected speech just days before he leaves office is not a step toward unity.”

Prior to the vote, Doyle issued a statement asserting that Trump “must be held accountable for inciting insurrection in the country he serves.”

“Donald Trump has made a career of spreading disinformation,” Doyle said. “His falsehoods about (the 2020) election results have proven deadly with last week’s attack on the Capitol.”

Lamb could not be reached Wednesday evening.

Like other Republicans who voted against the impeachment resolution, Thompson, of Centre County, said he was concerned that the House moved to impeach Trump too quickly.

“The violence at the U.S. Capitol last week was a gruesome and senseless display, and I remain hopeful President Trump will address the nation to encourage a peaceful transition for the swearing-in of President-Elect Biden on Jan. 20,” Thompson said by email. “Emotions are running high and this has led to an impromptu article of impeachment, something the framers of our Constitution intended to be a deliberate process.

“I do not believe impeachment is the appropriate course of action at this time and remain concerned that moving forward will only further sow seeds of division across the political landscape.”

Joyce, R-Blair County, issued a statement following Wednesday’s vote that reiterated his prior remarks that Trump is entitled to “due process and to equal justice under the law.” Joyce also spoke of the need “to build national unity and focus on the peaceful transition of power ahead.”

Reschenthaler suggested that the bar of impeachment has been lowered for future presidents.

Kelly, Reschenthaler, Thompson and Joyce were also among eight Pennsylvania congressmen who voted against certifying Pennsylvania’s Electoral College votes for Joe Biden. They also voted against the resolution that called on Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Trump for office immediately.

Despite Wednesday’s vote, “President Trump will be out of office before a Senate impeachment trial can begin,” commented U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Lehigh Valley, a former Trump supporter who recently called for Trump to step down immediately.

“Whether or not the Senate has the constitutional authority to hold an impeachment trial for a president that is no longer in office is debatable,” Toomey said Wednesday night in a statement. “Should the Senate conduct a trial, I will again fulfill my responsibility to consider arguments from both the House managers and President Trump’s lawyers.”

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