{"id":10802,"date":"2015-05-29T11:21:28","date_gmt":"2015-05-29T18:21:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/peterlance.com\/?p=10802"},"modified":"2019-06-02T14:13:40","modified_gmt":"2019-06-02T21:13:40","slug":"roll-call-mueller-increases-pressure-on-some-democrats-to-move-toward-impeachment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/peterlance.com\/wordpress\/?p=10802","title":{"rendered":"Roll Call: Mueller increases pressure on some Democrats to move toward impeachment"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"padding-bottom:20px; padding-top:10px;\" class=\"hupso-share-buttons\"><!-- Hupso Share Buttons - https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/ --><a class=\"hupso_toolbar\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-medium.png\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top: 5px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\"\/><\/a><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var hupso_services_t=new Array(\"Twitter\",\"Facebook\",\"Google Plus\",\"Pinterest\",\"Linkedin\",\"StumbleUpon\",\"Digg\",\"Reddit\",\"Bebo\",\"Delicious\");var hupso_background_t=\"#EAF4FF\";var hupso_border_t=\"#66CCFF\";var hupso_toolbar_size_t=\"medium\";var hupso_image_folder_url = \"\";var hupso_url_t=\"\";var hupso_title_t=\"Roll%20Call%3A%20Mueller%20increases%20pressure%20on%20some%20Democrats%20to%20move%20toward%20impeachment\";<\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/js\/share_toolbar.js\"><\/script><!-- Hupso Share Buttons --><\/div><p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/peterlance.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Screen-Shot-2019-05-29-at-11.43.01-AM.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-large wp-image-10821\" title=\"Screen Shot 2019-05-29 at 11.43.01 AM\" src=\"http:\/\/peterlance.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Screen-Shot-2019-05-29-at-11.43.01-AM-1024x548.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"548\" \/><\/a><a title=\"investigatingtrump.com\" href=\"http:\/\/investigatingtrump.com\" target=\"_blank\">investigatingtrump.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>By Simone Path\u00e9 May 29th 2019<\/strong> Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III\u2019s\u00a0brief public remarks on Wednesday\u00a0added fuel to the already growing fire among some Democrats calling for an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollcall.com\/news\/campaigns\/mueller-increases-pressure-democrats-move-toward-impeachment\"><strong>CLICK HERE<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0for a direct link to Roll Call story.<\/p>\n<p>But House Democratic leadership, as well as Democrats working on trying to hold the\u00a0majority in the chamber in 2020, continued to dampen expectations.<\/p>\n<p>Speaker\u00a0<a title=\"Click to view member info in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rollcall.com\/members?35&amp;utm_source=memberLink?utm_source=memberLink\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" shape=\"rect\" target=\"_blank\">Nancy Pelosi<\/a>\u00a0on Wednesday continued her call for Congress to move forward with investigations into the president, but held firm in not advocating impeachment.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Congress holds sacred its Constitutional responsibility to investigate and hold the President accountable for his abuse of power,\u201d\u00a0the California Democrat said in a statement. \u201cThe Congress will continue to investigate and legislate to protect our elections and secure our democracy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>House Judiciary Chairman\u00a0<a title=\"Click to view member info in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rollcall.com\/members?346&amp;utm_source=memberLink?utm_source=memberLink\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" shape=\"rect\" target=\"_blank\">Jerrold Nadler<\/a>\u00a0did not mention impeachment either.<\/p>\n<p>In his first public remarks since leading the two-year investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, Mueller said two things that seemed to be raising the pressure on Democrats \u2014 at least from the left \u2014 to begin an impeachment inquiry.<\/p>\n<p>First, he said his report speaks for itself and that any congressional testimony would not include additional information. That could give congressional Democrats\u00a0who had been waiting to hear more from him\u00a0further cover to call for an impeachment inquiry as the only way to obtain additional information.<\/p>\n<p>And second, he reiterated \u2014 on camera, before the American people \u2014 two key points from the lengthy report his office released in April: That the investigation did not turn up evidence exonerating Trump and that the Department of Justice cannot charge a sitting\u00a0president with a crime.<\/p>\n<p>That second point underscored the argument from some\u00a0lawmakers that,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/justinamash\/status\/1133756898518470656\" shape=\"rect\">in the words<\/a>\u00a0of Michigan GOP Rep.\u00a0<a title=\"Click to view member info in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rollcall.com\/members?31947&amp;utm_source=memberLink?utm_source=memberLink\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" shape=\"rect\" target=\"_blank\">Justin Amash<\/a>\u00a0on Wednesday, \u201cThe ball is in our court, Congress.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>There was no sign that any of Amash\u2019s Republican colleagues were preparing to join him, however.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSpecial Counsel Robert Mueller made it very clear that his report is definitive and he has no intention to testify before Congress,\u201d House Minority\u00a0Whip\u00a0<a title=\"Click to view member info in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rollcall.com\/members?22808&amp;utm_source=memberLink?utm_source=memberLink\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" shape=\"rect\" target=\"_blank\">Steve Scalise<\/a>\u00a0tweeted. \u201cIt is well past time for Democrats to move on from this madness.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>New Jersey Sen.\u00a0<a title=\"Click to view member info in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rollcall.com\/members?50223&amp;utm_source=memberLink?utm_source=memberLink\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" shape=\"rect\" target=\"_blank\">Cory Booker<\/a>, who had previously stopped short of calling for an impeachment inquiry, joined a handful of other\u00a02020 presidential hopefuls on Wednesday afternoon who had already\u00a0come out in support of taking that step.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRobert Mueller\u2019s statement makes it clear: Congress has a legal and moral obligation to begin impeachment proceedings immediately,\u201d Booker tweeted Wednesday afternoon.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis administration has continued to stonewall Congress\u2019s oversight. Beginning impeachment proceedings is the only path forward,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p>Booker had previously said there should be more investigations before starting an impeachment inquiry.<\/p>\n<p>Other 2020 presidential hopefuls reiterated calls they&#8217;d previously made for the House to start impeachment proceedings, including former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, California Sen.\u00a0<a title=\"Click to view member info in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rollcall.com\/members?97833&amp;utm_source=memberLink?utm_source=memberLink\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" shape=\"rect\" target=\"_blank\">Kamala Harris<\/a>, Massachusetts Rep.\u00a0<a title=\"Click to view member info in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rollcall.com\/members?55069&amp;utm_source=memberLink?utm_source=memberLink\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" shape=\"rect\" target=\"_blank\">Seth Moulton<\/a>and Texas Rep.\u00a0<a title=\"Click to view member info in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rollcall.com\/members?44832&amp;utm_source=memberLink?utm_source=memberLink\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" shape=\"rect\" target=\"_blank\">Beto O\u2019Rourke<\/a>\u00a0and Massachusetts Sen.\u00a0<a title=\"Click to view member info in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rollcall.com\/members?46463&amp;utm_source=memberLink?utm_source=memberLink\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" shape=\"rect\" target=\"_blank\">Elizabeth Warren<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Mueller\u2019s team and the House Intelligence and Judiciary committees have been in negotiations to potentially have him testify publicly about his finding, but the talks have stalled in recent weeks.<\/p>\n<p>Nadler\u2019s statement Wednesday thanked the special counsel for his service and said that Congress must take the lead going forward in responding to potential crimes committed by Trump and his campaign.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGiven that Special Counsel Mueller was unable to pursue criminal charges against the president, it falls to Congress to respond to the crimes, lies and other wrongdoing of President Trump \u2014 and we will do so. No one, not even the President of the United States, is above the law,\u201d Nadler said in a statement after Mueller\u2019s remarks.<\/p>\n<p>Trump has said he would block compliance with subpoenas from Democrats, stymieing their oversight efforts on a variety of issues, including whether he obstructed justice.<\/p>\n<p>Although Nadler did not include the term impeachment in his initial reaction Wednesday, some of his colleagues on the committee did not shy away from the word.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe next step is for the House Judiciary Committee to open an impeachment inquiry to formally begin consideration of whether or not articles of impeachment should be filed,\u201d Rhode Island Rep.\u00a0<a title=\"Click to view member info in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rollcall.com\/members?7318&amp;utm_source=memberLink?utm_source=memberLink\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" shape=\"rect\" target=\"_blank\">David Cicilline<\/a>\u00a0in a statement. He sits on the Judiciary Committee and also leads the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee.<\/p>\n<p>But Democrats facing re-election in competitive districts next year have been more wary of calling for an impeachment inquiry. Most Democratic strategists who work on congressional races have maintained that such a move would hurt more than help\u00a0efforts to hold\u00a0onto control of the House in 2020.<\/p>\n<p>In Iowa, where all four House races and the Senate race could be competitive next year, former state Democratic Chairwoman Sue Dvorsky said she did not believe Mueller&#8217;s comments changed the political conversation on the ground.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt simply is not what voters are talking about. They have an opinion on it, they think about it. This is not the focus,\u201d Dvorsky said in a phone interview.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe questions on the road are health care, they\u2019re income inequality, the middle class squeeze and the concern about student debt,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Dvorsky said she she was not concerned that any steps forward on impeachment could threaten the re-election prospects for first-term Democratic Reps.\u00a0<a title=\"Click to view member info in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rollcall.com\/members?118376&amp;utm_source=memberLink?utm_source=memberLink\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" shape=\"rect\" target=\"_blank\">Abby Finkenauer<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a title=\"Click to view member info in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rollcall.com\/members?118380&amp;utm_source=memberLink?utm_source=memberLink\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" shape=\"rect\" target=\"_blank\">Cindy Axne<\/a>, who were both elected in districts Trump carried in 2016.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey are doing their jobs. That\u2019s what they\u2019ll run on,\u201d Dvorsky said.<\/p>\n<div id=\"cqrcPostAdditional\">\n<p>It remains to be seen whether Mueller\u2019s reluctance to share any more information with Congress will change the calculus from Democrats who have been calling for more investigations and hearings before moving towards impeachment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Asked about her support for opening an impeachment inquiry last week, for example, New Jersey Rep.\u00a0<a title=\"Click to view member info in a new window\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rollcall.com\/members?118645&amp;utm_source=memberLink?utm_source=memberLink\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" shape=\"rect\" target=\"_blank\">Mikie Sherrill<\/a>\u00a0answered by saying she wanted Mueller to testify before Congress. She wasn\u2019t alone. Nearly three-quarters of Americans said Mueller should appear before Congress, according to a Monmouth University Poll released last week.<\/p>\n<p><em>Katherine Tully-McManus and Bridget Bowman contributed to this report.\u00a0<\/em><strong><em>Get breaking news alerts and more from Roll Call\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/app\/roll-call-news\/id433753469?mt=8\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" shape=\"rect\" target=\"_blank\">on your iPhone<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div style=\"padding-bottom:20px; padding-top:10px;\" class=\"hupso-share-buttons\"><!-- Hupso Share Buttons - https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/ --><a class=\"hupso_toolbar\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hupso.com\/share\/\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/buttons\/share-medium.png\" style=\"border:0px; padding-top: 5px; float:left;\" alt=\"Share Button\"\/><\/a><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var hupso_services_t=new Array(\"Twitter\",\"Facebook\",\"Google Plus\",\"Pinterest\",\"Linkedin\",\"StumbleUpon\",\"Digg\",\"Reddit\",\"Bebo\",\"Delicious\");var hupso_background_t=\"#EAF4FF\";var hupso_border_t=\"#66CCFF\";var hupso_toolbar_size_t=\"medium\";var hupso_image_folder_url = \"\";var hupso_url_t=\"\";var hupso_title_t=\"Roll%20Call%3A%20Mueller%20increases%20pressure%20on%20some%20Democrats%20to%20move%20toward%20impeachment\";<\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/static.hupso.com\/share\/js\/share_toolbar.js\"><\/script><!-- Hupso Share Buttons --><\/div><p>investigatingtrump.com By Simone Path\u00e9 May 29th 2019 Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III\u2019s\u00a0brief public remarks on Wednesday\u00a0added fuel to the already growing fire among some Democrats calling for an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.\u00a0\u00a0CLICK HERE\u00a0for a direct link to Roll Call story. But House Democratic leadership, as well as Democrats working on trying to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":10817,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[7],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/peterlance.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10802"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/peterlance.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/peterlance.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peterlance.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peterlance.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10802"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/peterlance.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10802\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10831,"href":"https:\/\/peterlance.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10802\/revisions\/10831"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peterlance.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/10817"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/peterlance.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10802"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peterlance.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10802"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peterlance.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10802"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}