For the past three years, Congresswoman Maxine Waters has matter-of-factly declared that she will do everything within her power to hold Donald Trump accountable for his impeachable offenses as president. So, when it was time for her to take the mainstage on the House floor on Wednesday, it’s no surprise that she came prepared with some inspiring words of her own and those of the late author Maya Angelou. 

Waters began her speech by recognizing that although her allotted time to speak was limited, she could go on for eons recounting the egregious acts of the 45th president.

“Ladies and gentlemen, unfortunately, the rules of debate will not allow me to cite all of the reasons why this president should be impeached. There are many.”  

She then followed up by offering a notable quote from Angelou before unleashing a fierce call as to why Trump deserves to be removed from office. 

“Madam Speaker and members of this House, to quote the late Maya Angelou: ‘When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time,’” she declared. “This day was not inevitable, but it was predictable because this president has shown himself time and time again to believe that he is above the law.”

She continued by arguing that Trump has “no respect for our Constitution or our democracy.”

She asserted that based on his actions, his abuse of power can be traced across several instances, including his alleged corrupt dealings with the Ukrainian government, inquiring about an investigation into former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden. 

“Never before in our history have we experienced a president who has so clearly conducted himself in a manner offensive to and subversive of the Constitution,” she argued. “It is without question that this president has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to national security and the Constitution if allowed to remain in office and has acted in a manner grossly incompatible with self-governance and the rule of law because at every turn, he has shown us who he is.”

In spite of the House’s failed attempts to edge out the final moments of her address, Waters continued her message. 

“Yes I called for Trump’s impeachment early,” she emotionally declared. 

“I wholeheartedly support this resolution. I'm proud that in the final analysis, justice will have been served in America and Donald Trump will have been impeached,” she concluded before confidently leaving the podium.

Since Trump's inauguration, Waters has vehemently challenged his ability to serve as president and pressed for the 45th president to be reprimanded in light of his vicious attacks against whistleblowers and his refusal to release tax records. 

She was also the first Congressional member to call for his impeachment, in spite of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s previous trepidation on proceeding with an official hearing. 

“I have been calling for and talking about impeachment of this president since his inauguration,” she shared in a feature with Essence Magazine. “I observed him very closely during the campaign. And I thought that he basically defined himself.” 

Waters also explained that Trump’s poor conduct within and outside of politics solidify “evidence of his disgraceful and contemptible actions as the president of the United States.”

Late Wednesday evening, the House officially impeached Trump, with a 230-197-1 vote on the first charge, and 229-198-1 vote on the second. The historic moment marked the third time in U.S. history that a president has been impeached. 

Donald trumpImpeachment-Hearingsrep. maxine waters