House Democrats are all-in on impeaching President Trump, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced on Tuesday afternoon.
Prior to Tuesday, Pelosi was mostly against the impeachment effort and had been fighting off her party members from embracing and pushing the issue. She said the group lacked enough evidence to pursue impeachment, which included allegations of Trump colluding with Russia or obstructing Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.
But, that all changed when Pelosi backed the then-uncertain contents of a phone conversation between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Pelosi and company went all-in on the phone call as it was described as incredibly damaging to President Trump. The call allegedly showed Trump threatening to withhold financial assistance from Ukraine unless the country investigated Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. This would have been damaging indeed, impeachable even. So Democrats put everything they had on it.
Politico reports: “The entire universe has shifted for House Democrats.”
“For months, the leadership was trying to stave off impeachment because they thought it unwise politically, divisive and unnecessary,” the report continues. “Now the leadership is full-bore behind it, and the entire caucus is rowing toward a process aimed at removing the president of the United States for how he handled interactions with the leader of Ukraine. Democrats finally believe they found a simple, easy-to-understand charge.”
Less than 24 hours later, the White House released the record of the call showing the president did not do any of the wrongdoings he was alleged to have committed.
Ouch.
After the release, Republican Congressman John Radcliffe tweeted: “In their desire to undo the 2016 election and destroy President Trump, Democrats have today unequivocally and irreparably harmed our national security and compromised an important ally.”
“Instead of forming an impeachment line, Democrats should consider forming an apology line,” he added.
In their desire to undo the 2016 election and destroy President Trump, Democrats have today unequivocally and irreparably harmed our national security and compromised an important ally. Instead of forming an impeachment line, Democrats should consider forming an apology line.
— John Ratcliffe (@RepRatcliffe) September 25, 2019
And, from Radcliffe’s website:
Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) issued the following statement today on the release of the declassified, unredacted transcript of President Trump’s telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from July 25th, 2019:
“The special counsel wrongfully flipped the legal burden of proof to require President Trump to conclusively determine his innocence. Now Democrats have done the same thing to our national security. The transcript conclusively determines, despite Democratic promises to the contrary, that there was no quid pro quo. No mention of military aid. No violation of the law. But to conclusively prove his innocence, a classified and privileged conversation between a foreign head of state and our president is now in the public view. In their desire to undo the 2016 election and destroy President Trump, Democrats have today unequivocally and irreparably harmed our national security and compromised an important ally. Instead of forming an impeachment line, Democrats should consider forming an apology line.”
The Republican congressman was far from the only one pointing out the Democrats’ glaring mistake:
Remember yesterday when we were told President Trump pressured Ukraine to investigate Biden's son? 8 times? And offered quid pro quo in exchange?
None of that was true. They did it again.
Just like collusion. Just like obstruction. Same old story.
— Mark Meadows (@RepMarkMeadows) September 25, 2019
Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats are now all in on impeaching President Trump. Their sole agenda is impeachment theater. These partisan tactics are destructive for the country and won't make people’s lives any better.
— Rep Tim Walberg (@RepWalberg) September 25, 2019
President Trump wants to know when he can expect an apology:
Will the Democrats apologize after seeing what was said on the call with the Ukrainian President? They should, a perfect call – got them by surprise!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 25, 2019