House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on Thursday announced her intention to bring about a formal vote on the Democrats' impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump. Her main reason for calling a vote stems from Republicans saying the Democrats' impeachment inquiry isn't an actual inquiry because the full House has yet to vote and authorize various Committees to investigate.
For weeks, Republicans have called on Pelosi to bring about a vote on the Impeachment inquiry. Pelosi has avoided the move as a means of protecting Democrats in districts that voted for President Trump in 2016 because then there's no solid record of the representative supporting the impeachment inquiry.
Republicans blasted Pelosi for her sudden decision, saying she's finally admitting that the process was never right from the get-go.
It’s been 34 days since Nancy Pelosi unilaterally declared her impeachment inquiry.
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) October 28, 2019
Today’s backtracking is an admission that this process has been botched from the start.
We will not legitimize the Schiff/Pelosi sham impeachment.
Pelosi let Schiff hold secret hearings and leak misleading info to attack @realDonaldTrump for weeks.
— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) October 28, 2019
Now she wants a vote to "formalize” a process that’s already tainted.
Dems aren't trying to change their Soviet-style impeachment process, they're formally endorsing it.
Pelosi announces they’ll finally vote to open the impeachment inquiry.
— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) October 28, 2019
Codifying a sham process halfway through doesn’t make it any less of a sham process.
Pelosi now says there will be a vote Thu to authorize their impeachment inquiry. This should include minority subpoena rights, equal allocat. of staff, immediate release of all transcripts & more. POTUS' counsel should be able to attend depos, present evidence & quest. witnesses.
— Lee Zeldin (@RepLeeZeldin) October 28, 2019
Republicans have taken issue with House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) leading the impeachment inquiry efforts because of his clear disdain for President Trump. For more than two years he continually told Americans he had the "smoking gun" that would prove the Trump campaign colluded with Russia. Special Counsel Robert Mueller, the very guy Democrats handpicked to lead the Russia probe, found there was no collusion.
Once Pelosi gave Schiff the green light to begin an impeachment inquiry, Schiff flat out lied about what Trump said during his call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Republicans have argued he cannot be impartial in this situation.
House Democrats now suddenly saying they'll vote on an impeachment resolution to “ensure transparency” is rich—considering they've spent weeks conducting interviews in secret, leaking their own talking points while locking down any and all information that benefits the President
— Mark Meadows (@RepMarkMeadows) October 28, 2019
We’ve just learned House Democrats are moving the public impeachment hearings to the Intelligence Committee — taking it out of the normal jurisdiction (Judiciary Committee), cutting out GOP members who have spent the majority of time questioning witnesses till now
— Mark Meadows (@RepMarkMeadows) October 28, 2019
This is a sham
A live look at House Democrats trying to impeach President @realDonaldTrump. First Russia, then obstruction, now Ukraine. Dems are throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping something sticks. pic.twitter.com/68Ec0KXslz
— Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (@RepDLesko) October 28, 2019
Speaker Pelosi's announcement today acknowledges Adam Schiff’s free-wheeling impeachment inquiry is devoid of rules and lacks legitimacy. Schiff’s anarchic impeachment sham has devolved into mayhem and is entirely antithetical to constitutional principles.
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) October 28, 2019
Sen. Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) believes Pelosi made the announcement because of a resolution he introduced that required Congress to provide Trump with due process.
A vote now is a bit like un-Ringing a bell as House Democrats have selectively leaked information in order to damage President @realDonaldTrump for weeks.https://t.co/tSmlvI6Ivt
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) October 28, 2019
There is no doubt in my mind that the overwhelming response House Democrats heard from the American people and Senate Republicans in support of my resolution forced their hand.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) October 28, 2019
Today’s announcement is an acknowledgement of the success of our efforts last week.
The American people have been outraged by the unfair nature and lack of due process House Dems have given to Pres Trump.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) October 28, 2019
I take pride in the fact our vigorous response to their underhanded tactics ended up making their position untenable.
Today, they were forced to change course.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) October 28, 2019
Finally, I look forward to reviewing their proposal and ensuring it provides President Trump with the rights and privileges Republicans afforded former President Clinton during the 1998 impeachment process.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) October 28, 2019
Democrats launched their bogus impeachment inquiry the night before President Trump released the transcript of his call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. They claimed Trump threatened to withhold military aid if Ukraine failed to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, for corruption. While Biden was vice president and handling internal relations in Ukraine on behalf of the Obama administration, Hunter was being paid $50,000 by a Ukrainian gas company, despite having no natural energy experience. The transcript showed no quid pro quo.