2020 Democratic White House hopeful and U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii broke with 11 other Democrats on the Ohio debate stage Tuesday night, branding President Donald Trump’s impeachment as “divisive.”
“If impeachment is driven by these hyper-partisan interests, it will only further divide an already terribly divided country,” Gabbard said.
The Hawaii congresswoman made clear her belief that an investigation should move forward, but cautioned Democrats not to rush the process as acquittal in the Senate would allow the president to claim vindication, playing into Trump’s message that House Democrats are out to get him.
“The serious issues that have been raised around this phone call that he had with the president of Ukraine and many other things that transpired around that are what caused me to support the inquiry in the House,” Gabbard asserted to the primetime audience, but followed up by issuing a stark warning moving forward. “If the House votes to impeach, the Senate does not vote to remove Donald Trump, he walks out and he feels exonerated, further deepening the divides in this country that we cannot afford.”
Other Democrats on stage were quick to demand the president’s swift impeachment and removal from office, painting Trump as a corrupt leader conspiring with foreign leaders to investigate political opponents at home. They also conveniently glossed over former Vice President Joe Biden and his son’s dealings with Ukraine.
Biden’s son, Hunter, served on the board of a Ukrainian natural gas company for $50,000 a month without any prior experience in the energy sector while Joe oversaw U.S. policy towards Ukraine as vice president.
During an interview on ABC News hours before the debate Tuesday, Hunter admitted to practicing “poor judgement,” noting his father’s position of power all but secured his employment.
“It is impossible for me to be on any of the boards that I just mentioned without saying that I am the son of the vice president of the United States,” Hunter Biden said.
