In filing articles of impeachment, House Democratic leaders on Tuesday said President Donald Trump asked Ukraine to investigate his rivals, including Democrat Joe Biden, and then withheld $400 million in military aid as the U.S. ally faced an aggressive Russia.
They say he then obstructed Congress by stonewalling the House investigation into Trump’s alleged quid pro quo. Now, House Democrats are pushing toward some historic votes over charges that Trump threatened the integrity of the U.S. election system and endangered national security in his dealings with Ukraine.
The Democratic-led U.S. House of Representatives could vote to approve the two articles of impeachment before the holidays. A vote in favor would trigger a trial in the U.S. Senate next year — a presidential election year. It’s doubtful that the Republican-controlled chamber would hand down the harshest punishment: booting Trump from office.
The Spin talked with Illinois U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi about the impeachment landscape right now. The questions and answers have been edited for clarity.
The Spin: Will the full House take a vote by the end of December?
Krishnamoorthi: “There’s no calendar that’s been published for us. And I’m not aware of any deadlines, but as I’ve said before, I think that we need to expeditiously deal with the issues at hand because they’re very serious, and I believe there’s ongoing wrongdoing in the White House right now with regard to Ukraine and potentially even other countries.”
The Spin: What makes you think that?
Krishnamoorthi: “I don’t know why Rudy Giuliani was in Ukraine, for instance,” he said of the president’s personal attorney traveling in recent days to the country at the center of the impeachment inquiry. Giuliani has said he was there to investigate and is drafting a report that disproves Democrats’ allegations against Trump. Krishnamoorthi said he is skeptical.
“This is the type of behavior that is precisely why we are conducting the current proceedings and it’s emblematic of this White House basically ignoring the rule of law. You know, on July 24 special counsel on the Russia inquiry Bob Mueller came before the Intelligence Committee and testified as to why it’s so important for Russia and other countries to stay out of our election process, and the next day, July 25, President Trump has this conversation with President Zelenskiy of Ukraine, asking him to get involved in our elections by asking his country to investigate the president’s domestic rivals.”
The Spin: Some of the analysis on polling shows a country that views impeachment along partisan lines. An overwhelming number of Democratic voters think he should be impeached, while an overwhelming number of Republican voters are against it. What kinds of concerns does that raise for you?
Krishnamoorthi: “I never thought we would be launching an impeachment inquiry in the first place this year. Back in August or even early September, I didn’t think so — but there was a big shift in public sentiment about getting to the bottom of what happened with that July 25 phone call. Beyond what some of the polling may show, at some level, I feel like we just have to do the right thing. And I swore an oath to defend and protect the Constitution, and what I feel we’re doing right now is fulfilling that oath.”
The Spin: What do you say to those who say there isn’t enough evidence or disagree with Democrats about proceeding with impeachment?
Krishnamoorthi: “I do think that we have to keep that in mind, that there are people who disagree with the steps that we took, and we also have to conduct ourselves accordingly. We should constantly be challenging ourselves with constant questions. What are ways to conduct ourselves in a way that’s dignified and fair and in accordance with the solemnity of the situation?”
The Spin: What were you hearing from constituents, especially when the impeachment inquiry hearings were unfolding last month?
Krishnamoorthi: “There was intense interest from people at home watching. Some were texting or on social media saying, ‘Hey, you might want to ask this question.’ It’s interesting in the age of social media, you’re trying to follow what other people are saying in that medium and keeping track and realizing in some cases ‘OK, good point, let me incorporate that into what I’m asking.’ So it was fascinating.”
The Spin: What about the other business of the people?
Krishnamoorthi: “Certainly those two weeks of the House Intelligence Committee impeachment hearings, it was all-consuming — morning, noon and night. It felt like cramming for final exams. I was reading and practicing questions with staff and meeting with Chairman (Adam) Schiff and the team.
“And for the last three months the impeachment inquiry has been all-consuming, but it’s not the only order of business. Last week, I had a hearing on youth vaping, and we have a government-funding bill that expires Dec. 20.”
The Spin: Could we see another government shutdown, like the one a year ago?
Krishnamoorthi: “Nothing seems predictable anymore, but I would think after last year he (Trump) would not want a shutdown because that hurt him politically.”
Contributing: Associated Press
Lisa Donovan is the host of The Spin, the Tribune’s politics newsletter. Sign up here to have it delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons.
