Tipsheet

'Let The Meltdown Begin': Pelosi Formally Announces Trump Impeachment Inquiry

Matt Vespa
Matt Vespa  |  September 24, 2019 4:45 PM

Well, the announcement was going to be around 5 P.M. EST, but it’s leaked. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is formally signing off on an impeachment inquiry into President Donald J. Trump after he spoke to the Ukrainians, reportedly trying to coerce the political leadership there to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden on corruption charges. This was dredged up after a whistleblower came forward to the intelligence community inspector general, though it’s based on anonymous second-hand sources. The whistleblower didn’t even listen in on the calls, and it’s not the intelligence community’s job to snitch on the president. The president can say whatever he wants to another foreign leader. Period. And now, before anyone has read the transcript of the call, the House Democrats are launching a full-blown impeachment push. It’s not shocking. This was going to happen eventually. They had to do this; this is why the Democrats retook the House in 2018. So, fix bayonets, everyone. This is going to get bloody (via NYT):

Speaker Nancy Pelosi plans to announce on Tuesday that the House will begin a formal impeachment inquiry of President Trump, Democrats close to her said, taking decisive action in response to startling allegations that the president sought to enlist a foreign power for his own political gain.

After months of caution, Ms. Pelosi has become convinced that Mr. Trump’s reported actions, and his administration’s refusal to share details about the matter with Congress, left the House no alternative but to move forward with an inquiry that has the potential to reshape his presidency and cleave an already divided nation just a year before he plans to stand for re-election. The people close to her confirmed her plans on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose a decision that could still change.

The announcement was expected at 5 p.m. in her Capitol office, after Ms. Pelosi was to hold a private meeting with House Democrats.

At issue are allegations that Mr. Trump pressured the president of Ukraine to open a corruption investigation of former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., a leading contender for the Democratic presidential nomination, and his son. The conversation is said to be part of a whistle-blower complaint that the Trump administration has withheld from Congress. 

Folks, we all knew this was going to happen. As for Pelosi, well, she has to know this isn’t going anywhere in the Republican Senate. Also, what if the more moderate Democrats, the ones who won in more conservative-leaning districts decide to defect and vote against an impeachment measure? This whole circus is now officially coming to town. It’s going to get nasty. 

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Pelosi said the actions of the Trump White House were a violation of law concerning the administration blocking the intelligence community IG from turning over this complaint. She invoked some history lecture about the 1787 Constitutional Convention to frame this as a move that seeks to protect our republic from Trump. On Thursday, that complaint from the whistleblower will come due for being turned over to Congress. She finally announced her support for an impeachment inquiry. She did not take any questions from the press.

Of course, President Trump took to Twitter, aptly calling this effort "witch hunt garbage."