House Democrats are pushing forward with impeachment proceedings this week after new allegations, based on hearsay, accused President Donald Trump of conspiring with a foreign power to investigate political opponents.
On Tuesday, during a speech on the House floor, Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., officially endorsed impeachment along with other lawmakers who came out in favor of pursuing the proceedings. Reports suggest House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will join the rest of her caucus Tuesday evening in pushing for impeachment.
“I truly believe the time to begin impeachment proceedings against this president has come,” Lewis wrote on Twitter.
The future of our democracy is at stake. I truly believe the time to begin impeachment proceedings against this president has come. To do otherwise would betray the foundations of our democracy.
— John Lewis (@repjohnlewis) September 24, 2019
Pelosi — who has been hesitant to get behind Democrats calling for impeachment, as many members of her caucus hail from moderate districts whose members oppose the measure — is expected to join the calls for impeachment after discussing the proceedings with House Democrats in light of the new allegations against the president.
Very solid #Dem House leadership source just confirmed to me that @SpeakerPelosi will announce a formal impeachment inquiry this afternoon and imply that she herself favors impeachment of @realDonaldTrump.
— howardfineman (@howardfineman) September 24, 2019
The push for impeachment comes as the White House faces heightened scrutiny over a July phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. An apparent “whistleblower,” who, according to reports, has no firsthand knowledge of the conversation, has submitted a formal complaint accusing the president of requesting that the foreign leader investigate 2020 Democratic front-runner and former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden over their business dealings with a Ukrainian energy company.
The intelligence inspector general deemed the complaint credible and urgent, but officials at the Department of National Intelligence have come to a different conclusion and have not released the report to Congress.
Democrats on the campaign trail have also used the new allegations as ammunition to fuel their persistent calls for impeachment.
Trump is pressuring another foreign government to dig up dirt on a political opponent.
We need a new commander in chief—and we need to absolutely begin impeachment proceedings. He’s gotta go.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) September 23, 2019
I said it on the floor of the US Senate in May & I’ll say it again: Congress must fulfill its Constitutional duty & begin impeachment proceedings against the President. Nobody is above the law – not even the President of the United States. pic.twitter.com/S5uNJyiQNK
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) September 24, 2019
We appear to have a president who may have used funds designed to protect the security of the United States as a means to gain political dirt on an opponent.
We need to begin the impeachment process immediately.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) September 24, 2019
Impeachment is a risk for Democrats, however, as the public remains opposed to the measure. A recent Politico/Morning Consult poll shows only 37 percent of voters support the start of impeachment proceedings against Trump.
