Syracuse, N.Y. -- The night before U.S. Rep. John Katko cast one of the most polarizing votes of his eight-year political career he said he felt more peace than anxiety.
Katko’s vote to impeach former President Donald Trump made him an outsider among a segment of his party. It angered a chunk of his constituents. It even resulted in threats to his personal safety.
Despite all that, Katko said there was little to consider on Jan 13, 2021, when be became one of 10 Republicans in Congress who voted to impeach Trump for inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection.
“I had a sense of calm,” Katko said. “To me that was kind of a no-brainer. There was an allegation. There were facts that I was privy to that a lot of Americans weren’t. I voted accordingly.’'
Yet, Katko said he knew that there would be repercussions.
“I knew what was going to happen from a safety standpoint for myself and, unfortunately, for my family,’' he said. “That was difficult. But I knew it was the right thing to do.”
Katko offered that insight into a unique moment in American history, as well as reflections on his political career, on Monday night during a farewell address at Syracuse University.
After serving four terms in Congress, Katko chose not to seek re-election this November. He’ll be replaced by Republican Brandon Williams.
Katko participated in a conversation led by Grant Reeher, a professor of political science at Syracuse University, and answered questions from the public.
Katko was known as one of the most bi-partisan members of a government that grew increasingly polarized, one where he said compromise is viewed as a weakness rather than a fundamental part of democracy.
“I thought I had a lot of threats as a prosecutor,” Katko said. “I had far more as a member of Congress than I did going after the worst criminals in the world. That’s hard to believe in today’s day and age, but that’s just reality.”
Katko criticized members of both parties for contributing to a divisive political atmosphere. He said he was saddened that President Joe Biden hasn’t been “more of a uniter” and that some Republicans have “turn backward to Trump.”
Katko said he experienced backlash from his own party when he joined Democrats in passing a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. He survived an attempt by some Republicans to strip him of his leadership post on the House Homeland Security Committee.
Katko helped negotiate the bill through the House Problem Solvers Caucus, a group from both parties who meet regularly to discuss legislation.
Katko attributes some of the current partisanship in Washington to colleagues who are more concerned about being re-elected than doing the right thing. He said they cater to their party more than their constituents. He said gerrymandering has made the problem worse, leaving fewer swing districts where politicians need to earn votes from both parties to get elected.
Katko said a potential solution is term limits. He said that politicians might be more willing to make unpopular choices if they were less worried about winning the next election.
“One of the darkest times I’ve had in politics, in my career, was probably Jan. 6,” Katko said. “In the days leading up to Jan. 6, I had dozens of my colleagues in the Republican party come up to me, look around and say they wanted to vote to certify the election too. But they didn’t want a primary or a problem back home. That was disturbing to me because they’re in it for the wrong reasons.”
Despite the blunt criticism of many of his colleagues, Katko ended his prepared remarks with optimism that the country and its leaders will eventually find their way back to a cooperative approach.
“Washington seems more divided and dysfunctional than ever,” Katko said. “I hear that all the time and it’s frustrating to me, as well as everyone else. But I have to say, have faith. . .
Leaders come along at times that will change that. I have faith that we will have a new crop of leaders coming, and I pray to God, whoever gets in the White House next will be committed to working with the other side and doing what’s best for their country and not their party.”
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