As the House of Representatives votes Wedneday on whether or not to impeach President Donald Trump for a second time, News 3 spoke to Rep. Elaine Luria (VA-02) about her vote and how other lawmakers have responded to the situation.
"This has been building for years," Luria told News 3 as she prepared to cast her vote on the article of impeachment.
In an interview from her congressional office before she was scheduled to return to the House floor, she said now is the time for Republicans to take action.
"I think this is a point in time where the Republican Party has a choice," she said. "Those members who voted with their conscience today know what the president did was wrong and what this has done to our country."
Luria summed up the reasoning for her vote in one sentence: "He must be held accountable."
The violence at the Capitol brought changes to the House, including a new pass-through metal detector ordered by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, that some lawmakers have reportedly challenged. Luria said she can't explain why this is an issue, especially at this time.
"The rules, for quite a long time, have stated that members of Congress are not allowed to carry firearms on the floor of the House," Luria said. "Yesterday, there were quite a few."
Luria said there were some "tense moments" between the Capitol Police and some of the Republican House members who refused to go through the metal detector or have their bags searched.
"It is the most simple basic precaution, in light of what has happened, to follow the rules and the guidance of the Capitol Police," Luria said. "It's, you know, really disconcerting that they're trying to make this an issue in the current time."
