“The ballot is stronger than bullets.” -- Abraham Lincoln

"Donald Trump solicited foreign interference into our elections, and he has told us he will do it again. By voting to acquit, the Senate Republicans have willfully sanctioned his abuse of power and become accomplices in his cover up. They have sent a message to Trump and all future presidents that there is no check on a president in pursuit of re-election. They are clinging to a political system rigged for the privileged, stoking fear, and enabling a corrupt president rather than protecting the integrity of our democracy.

"It is easy to despair over the actions of the Senate. But in this critical election year, we cannot afford to. I think of a young John Lewis crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma - marching to secure the right to vote for all Americans. John saw the ugliness before him, he could feel the potential violence humming in the air, but he kept marching. John almost lost his life, but he did not turn around. In the face of fear and violence, John kept marching all the way to the passage of the Voting Rights Act. We must show the same determination and courage to fight for our democracy. We must demand that all of our votes be counted. If we do, we can restore accountability, gird our democracy and ensure that our government is of, by and for the people."