Several Senate Democrats are now calling on the House to begin impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump as the Ukraine scandal heats up, including a member of Democratic leadership.
Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), the No. 2 Democrat in the chamber, posted a Twitter thread on Tuesday urging “the initiation of a formal impeachment inquiry by the House of Representatives of President Donald Trump.”
Durbin tweeted that Trump’s attempt to get a foreign government to dig up dirt on 2020 rival Joe Biden “by any reasonable legal standard merits an impeachment inquiry.”
The Democratic leader also pointed to the White House’s refusal to comply with congressional subpoenas, including one demanding a whistleblower report on Trump’s call with the president of Ukraine.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, also expressed his support for impeachment on Tuesday morning.
“If, as it appears Mr. Trump has already acknowledged, the president violated his oath of office by using the constitutional powers entrusted to him to try to destroy a political rival, then the president much [sic] be impeached,” Murphy said in a tweeted statement.
Sitting Senate Judiciary Committee member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) joined his Connecticut colleague, saying that Trump’s actions “crosses the line.”
“This illegal misuse of the presidency for private benefit is an impeachable act,” Blumenthal tweeted.
Democratic presidential candidates Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) have also expressed support for either impeachment inquiries or outright impeachment.
Influential House Democrat John Lewis (D-GA) also called for his chamber to begin impeachment proceedings on the House floor.
.@repjohnlewis calls for impeachment proceedings: "We took an oath to protect this nation against all domestic enemies… Sometimes I'd afraid to go to sleep for fear I will wake up and our Democracy will be gone." – Watch online: https://t.co/OklmR1M8SW pic.twitter.com/HNIsZdhyQc
— CSPAN (@cspan) September 24, 2019
