On Fox News, Portman Discusses Future of the Republican Party & Upcoming Impeachment Trial in Senate

This morning on Fox News’s America’s Newsroom with Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino, Senator Portman discussed his decision announced yesterday that he will not seek another six-year term in the United States Senate when his current term expires in 2022. In addition, Portman reiterated his commitment to being a fair and impartial juror who will listen to all of the facts during the impeachment proceedings that the Senate is expected to convene in February.

A transcript of the interview can be found below and a video can be found here.

PORTMAN ON HIS DECISION TO NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION IN 2022:

“I love public service and I hope more people who are interested in making a difference in people’s lives get into it. But it is a tougher time to do it. It’s a harder time to find that middle ground. That’s what I like to do. I like to get stuff done but also Dana, I’ve been doing this for 30 years off and on. I’ve been in the administration with you and in the first Bush administration and in the Senate for 10 years, Congress for 12. So I also love my family and I love being home and I love the private sector. It is a personal decision also.”

PORTMAN ON BEING AN IMPARTIAL JUROR DURING IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS:

“It’s not going to affect how I deal with impeachment. I’ve said all along, I’m a juror. I’m going to listen to both sides as I did last time. I am going to ask a couple of questions. One is about the constitutionality. The president is gone from office and, as you know, impeachment is generally viewed as something about removing someone from office and if you read the Constitution, that’s what it focuses on. And then second, just how to bring this country together. What’s the best thing to do to help heal the wounds. What the president did on January 6, to me, is inexcusable. He shouldn’t have done it. I spoke out clearly about it as I have when other people have used language and said things that pull us further apart rather than help us come together. The question is how do we heal our country at this point? How do we figure out a way to solve these big problems? And that has to start with trusting each other and working with each other and finding that common ground.”

PORTMAN ON UNITING REPUBLICAN PARTY:

“The differences are not irreconcilable at all because they’re based on policies and they’re based on ideals. Those remain the same. In fact, I think much of what we did in the past four years --taking out the style sometimes and the approach --  but the substance of it was exactly where most Americans are. I believe we’re a country that believes that economy grows through smart tax reform, tax cuts, regulatory relief for small businesses. I believe the country wants to have a stronger military that can project force around the world and keep the peace. I believe much of what we did in terms of energy independence. You talked about some of the changes the Biden Administration are making to make us less energy independent. I think on policy we’re right.”

PORTMAN ON HOW AMERICA WILL CHANGE UNDER BIDEN ADMINISTRATION:

“We’ll see. There are some things you can do by executive action, one is on federal lands. You can affect the leases, but you can’t stop fracking. Again, except for federal lands. That has been incredibly helpful for Ohio and for our economy. Natural gas is a cleaner fuel as well. But it has enabled us to have not just a stronger economy, but be less dependent on places around the world that are dangerous and volatile, like the Middle East, like Venezuela. There are a lot of things that they’re going to try to change here in Congress. They won’t be able to unless they get rid of the filibuster which requires 60 votes in the Senate, which I think is a good thing generally because it forces you to think about how to pass legislation, it has at least some support from the other side. And it helps you to have more sustainable legislation rather than bills that are going to be passed with a mere majority and then next time there is a change in majority it moves the other way. You want tax policy, as an example, that is consistent and sustainable. We’ll see, Bill. I think here in the Congress there are enough Democrats who want to try to get something done that we can avoid the worst excesses. I hope I’m right.”

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