by VOA News
House and Senate leaders are reacting along party lines to Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s announcement of a Trump impeachment inquiry.
Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is accusing Democrats of having a “predetermined conclusion” about Trump’s guilt, calling Tuesday’s developments part of an “impeachment parade in search of a rationale.”
“It simply confirms that House Democrats’ priority is not making life better for the American people, but their nearly three-year-old fixation on impeachment.”
McConnell’s statement came just after he was part of the Senate’s unanimous consent agreement that the whistleblower’s complaint be immediately handed over to the House and Senate Intelligence Committees.
McConnell’s House counterpart, Republican Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, says Democrats are still bitter about losing the 2016 presidential election and have wanted to impeach Trump from “day one.”
But the Democratic chairman of the House Oversight Committee, Elijah Cummings, reminded Republicans that history will show they ignored their duty to the Constitution if they “close their eyes and put party over country.”
He called Trump’s alleged appeal to another government to interfere in a U.S. election “an affront to the Constitution and a grave breach of his oath of office.”
Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren has been calling for Trump’s impeachment for months because of his alleged obstruction of justice in the Russian election probe.
She tweeted that the “impeachment inquiry must move forward with the efficiency and seriousness the crisis demands.”
But not every Republican is throwing his support behind Trump.
Two candidates who are challenging Trump for the 2020 Republican presidential nomination held a debate Tuesday night in New York and both say Trump must be removed form office.
“The Ukraine caper by the president is some combination of treason, bribery, and other high crimes and misdemeanors,” former Massachusetts Governor William Weld said.
Former-Illinois congressman Joe Walsh agreed, saying “Donald trump is unfit. The president of the United States will deserve to be impeached very soon.”
U.S. markets closed down Tuesday over the impeachment uncertainty before Pelosi spoke.
But experts say many investors do not expect the Republican-led Senate to ultimately convict Trump in any impeachment trial. The experts also do not think the House inquiry will have a big impact on stocks.
I understand the reason we have a three part government. I also understand why the Senate & the House of Representatives are separate entities. I do not understand the constant bickering. The Democrats & Republicans elected to the House & the Senate should be conducting business as a “board of directors” not as mortal enemies. There is so much wasted time & energy by both parties trying to “one-up” each other that very little is being done for the people. This voting along party lines is total BS. It completely distorts the form of government we have. Just because someone has an idiot idea and he/she happens to belong to your party is not a reason to “vote party line”.
You were elected to do the following.
1. keep our country strong
2. pass laws that benefit ALL citizens of this country.
Discussion & disagreement in the board room is healthy and when done right leads to a very successful organization.