Over 150 Democrats are calling for the House of Representatives to begin impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump as details about his phone call with the Ukrainian president continue to emerge.
On Monday, the Washington Post reported that Trump told acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney to hold back $400 million in military aid from Ukraine ahead of his phone call with Volodymyr Zelensky. During the call, Trump reportedly asked for the Ukranian president to investigate 2020 hopeful former Vice President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden.
The phone call is at the heart of a whistleblower complaint.
The allegations have led many Democrats to call for impeachment proceedings against Trump. NBC News reports that as of Tuesday morning 151 House Democrats now support some sort of impeachment proceedings.
On Monday, seven House Democrats wrote an op-ed published in the Washington Post where they argued that Trump trying to pressure the Ukrainian president to look into Biden’s son was an “impeachable offense.”
“These allegations are stunning, both in the national security threat they pose and the potential corruption they represent,” the op-ed reads.
The Democrats who wrote the op-ed were: Rep. Gil Cisneros (D-Calif.), Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.), Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Penn.), Rep. Elaine Luria (D-N.J.), Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.), Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), and Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.).
On Tuesday, other House Democrats were vocal on social media about their belief that impeachment proceedings need to begin.
“Dam is finally breaking on impeachment. Now, the key is advancing unified, coordinated House process imbued w/ strongest possible authorities, in fastest possible timeframe. ‘Impeachment Light’ wont cut it. We must do this well, and do it fast,” Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) tweeted.
Dam is finally breaking on impeachment. Now, the key is advancing unified, coordinated House process imbued w/ strongest possible authorities, in fastest possible timeframe. "Impeachment Light" wont cut it. We must do this well, and do it fast. https://t.co/3y30h26UUS
— Rep. Jared Huffman on Threads @RealJaredHuffman (@JaredHuffman) September 24, 2019
Others clearly felt similarly:
He’s now interfered with our elections TWICE. We must #ImpeachTrump. https://t.co/KkSg8vhe07
— Yvette D. Clarke (@RepYvetteClarke) September 24, 2019
.@realDonaldTrump holds up aid to Ukraine.@POTUS then calls Ukraine leader & demands 8 times that he investigate Biden.
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) September 24, 2019
You have to be stupid to not understand Trump engaged in a high crime. The Ukrainians are not stupid. They told Senators what happened.#TuesdayThoughts https://t.co/UNDQgLNtk5
https://twitter.com/RepSires/status/1176497220297928705
The first responsibility of the President of the United States is to keep our country safe, but it has become clear that our president has placed his personal interests above the national security of our nation. I believe articles of impeachment are warranted. My statement: pic.twitter.com/LXzsMResqt
— Congressman Antonio Delgado (@repdelgado) September 24, 2019
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the second-highest-ranking Democrat in the Senate, also said he supports impeachment proceedings on Tuesday.
NEW: Sen. Durbin (No. 2 Senate Dem) tells group of us that he now supports an impeachment inquiry in the House.
— Jordain Carney (@jordainc) September 24, 2019
Meanwhile, some 2020 Democrats have also joined the calls.
Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) called Trump a “classless, amoral gutter dweller” in a series of tweets where he called for impeachment.
“This President’s behavior is illegal and I once again call on Congress to impeach him—immediately. Any right-minded American should support this,” Ryan tweeted.
This President's behavior is illegal and I once again call on Congress to impeach him—immediately. Any right-minded American should support this.
— Tim Ryan (@TimRyan) September 24, 2019
Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke reiterated his claims from the past about impeachment on Tuesday.
“It was true when I said it in 2017 running for Senate in Texas and it’s still true today: President Trump should be impeached,” O’Rourke tweeted.
It was true when I said it in 2017 running for Senate in Texas and it's still true today: President Trump should be impeached.
— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) September 24, 2019
Other candidates like former HUD Secretary Julian Castro, Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) also made their opinions known.
Warren was blunt, saying a tweet: “The House must impeach. It must start today.”
The House must impeach. It must start today.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) September 24, 2019
The President is a criminal.
— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) September 24, 2019
The House must start impeachment hearings today. pic.twitter.com/w0tZCdDcAu
This isn't a partisan issue—or shouldn't be.
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) September 24, 2019
When the president of the United States is working with other countries to interfere with our elections, we should begin impeachment proceedings. pic.twitter.com/m70hYEOaJp
Enough. It’s time to impeach.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) September 24, 2019
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