Full and Fair Trial Press Conference Speech Text

January 16, 2020

My name is Debra Coe, and I am a Republican.

My name is Neca Allgood, and I am a Democrat.

My name is Catherine Eslinger, and I am a member of the United Utah party.

We are all members of Mormon Women for Ethical Government, also known as MWEG. People often ask why MWEG continues to advocate so forcefully for a full and fair impeachment trial. They are surprised that this particular group of women would be so bold. We do this because, in this destructive partisan climate, we believe the only way to heal our nation is to uncover truth and start building consensus around it. We believe truth is both discernible and powerful — feared only by those leaders who seek to sustain control through misinformation and obfuscation.

We are a nonpartisan organization that educates and empowers women to act boldly in defense of ethical government. Our members are ideologically diverse, but our faith in one another is grounded in a common commitment to peaceful action based in intellectual honesty and rigorous interpretation of fact. As the House moved toward and through impeachment, our membership collaborated to gather a cross-section of information and analysis that we then shared and discussed. We carefully observed sworn witnesses, including Ambassador Yovanovitch and Dr. Fiona Hill, who offered informed, clear, and dispassionate testimony under oath. Only then did we feel prepared to make a statement about the impeachment proceedings. 

We believe this pattern of seeking and discerning truth is one that should be followed by the Senate — calling and listening to relevant witnesses and scouring written documents. As citizens, we have powerful recourse when our leaders do not act to the highest ethical standards. We can speak and we can vote. Upon hearing the testimony referenced above, women in our organization immediately began to communicate their concern to senators of both parties, requesting that a fair and honest trial be held. 

Over the last week we have gathered and hand-delivered over 1,000 letters from individuals in 42 states who are calling for a legitimate trial. These letters are genuine, personal, and inspiring. They are written by individuals from all parties who love their nation and the civic values that unite rather than personal ideologies that divide. The letters eloquently call for their leaders to return to governance guided by those values. They argue that no leader should be above investigation or unanswerable to the law. They ask that senators now do their sworn duty as outlined by the Constitution, as well as the impeachment oath they will take, to hold a legitimate and impartial trial of President Trump.

For the duration of the impeachment process we will be dedicated to amplifying the individual voices of citizens who are speaking truth to their leaders and requesting honesty and integrity in return. Today Mormon Women for Ethical Government is launching a new website, WeWitness.us. It is dedicated to sharing the passionate and clear voices of citizens who might otherwise go unheard. These citizens are calling for a return to ethical and reasonable government that serves us all. As an organization, we will speak with one unified voice to demand the same. It is imperative that we, as citizens, reclaim our birthright — a democracy based on truth, norms, and the rule of law. It is time for all of us to act and speak. It is time to take back the power of our individual voices and make them heard. Join us and share yours.