Rep. Wexton says “impeachment is on the table,” talks gun laws and LGBTQ rights in town hall

By Keya Vakil

June 3, 2019

Democratic Rep. Jennifer Wexton said impeaching President Donald Trump is “on the table,” on Sunday during a town hall at Shenandoah University’s Halphin-Harrison Hall.

Her remarks are notable as more Democrats call for a formal impeachment process to begin. Democratic Rep. Don Beyer is the only member of the Virginia delegation to directly call for impeachment. Wexton said it was “on the table” after several constituents asked her if she would support impeaching Trump

According to The Winchester Star, Wexton said that there are multiple investigations going on in House committees and reiterated that she has been taking congressional oversight of the Trump administration seriously.

While she left the door to impeachment open, the Star reports that Wexton also said she didn’t want to go down that path until she had all the facts.

The push to impeach picked up steam after Robert Mueller delivered a public statement last week, in which he reiterated that his office had not cleared President Trump of criminal activity and was prohibited from charging the President with a federal crime due to longstanding Justice Department policy.

Wexton also discussed other topics during the town hall, including gun safety, climate change, and LGBTQ rights.

In the wake of Friday’s tragic shooting in Virginia Beach, Wexton called for a ban on high-capacity magazines, according to the Star.

She also talked about about working to create incentives for green energy production and supporting transportation options that keep cars off the roads.

When a constituent expressed concerns that the Trump administration is attacking LGBTQ individuals, Wexton highlighted the Ensuring Equal Access to Shelter Act, a bill she introduced to block the department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from enacting a proposed measure that would allow homeless shelters to deny transgender people equal access to services.

Wexton, who voted in favor of the Equality Act, also hosted a roundtable on Friday with Del. Danica Roem (D-Prince William), during which she discussed the importance of the Equal Access Rule.

Wexton was also joined by representatives from the Human Rights Campaign, the National Center for Transgender Equality, Mobile Hope Loudoun, and constituents impacted by the proposed HUD rule.

In speaking about the rule, Wexton said it “would allow shelters to turn their backs on kids without a safe place to stay, transgender women fleeing domestic violence, and people looking for a roof over their heads after a natural disaster–that’s just plain wrong.”

“We will hold them accountable,” Wexton said. “We are looking out for you and will make sure that you stay safe.”

  • Keya Vakil

    Keya Vakil is the deputy political editor at COURIER. He previously worked as a researcher in the film industry and dabbled in the political world.

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