Utah lawmakers react to Trump impeachment inquiry

WASHINGTON (ABC4 News) House Speaker Nancy Pelosi launched a formal impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump on Tuesday.

The probe centers on whether Trump abused his presidential powers and sought help from a foreign government to undermine Democratic foe Joe Biden and help his own reelection. 

Pelosi made the announcement from the speaker’s office at the Capitol saying said such actions would mark a “betrayal of his oath of office” and declared: “No one is above the law.”

Trump reacted swiftly calling the inquiry “garbage.”

He tweeted that “the Democrats purposely had to ruin and demean it with more breaking news Witch Hunt garbage. So bad for our Country!”

Members of Utah’s Congressional delegation reacted to Pelosi’s announcement.

Rep. Rob Bishop (R)

“During my time in Congress, I have been asked to start impeachment proceedings against Presidents Bush, Obama, and now Trump. I have consistently rejected these requests because each was a political effort to minimize the voice of the people. Elections have consequences and the voters’ will deserves respect.

“Impeachment is the ultimate power Congress has over a president and should be used as a last resort, not for purely political purposes.

“Since the election of President Trump, some have frantically searched for any justification to nullify the will of the people. They are still at it and there is not sufficient evidence to justify this approach. The Speaker’s actions today take Congress away from doing things that meet the needs of the people.”

Rep. Chris Stewart (R)

“It is critical for Congress to perform oversight on the executive without drawing conclusions first. To have a serious and fair hearing, we cannot start with the conclusion before we have reviewed all the evidence. I am committed to working with my colleagues on the House Intelligence Committee to uncover all the facts.”

Rep. Ben McAdams (D)

“Before making any judgments, I want to know the facts of what occurred between the president and Ukraine. I share Senator Romney’s view that if the president used his position to pressure a foreign power to dig up dirt on a rival for his own personal gain, it would be deeply troubling. I believe it would be a betrayal of the loyalty owed to our country and the Constitution.”

Rep. John Curtis (R)

“I am closely monitoring the formal inquiry Speaker Pelosi announced today and have the utmost confidence in the investigative tools Congress has at its disposal to help us determine the facts. I am pleased that President Trump will be releasing the transcript of his call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and that Congress will have the opportunity to examine the whistleblower complaint fully and hear from the acting Director of National Intelligence,” said Curtis. “At the same time, I am committed to legislating as well as oversight, both of which are important work that my colleagues and I have been sent to Washington to do. I will continue to advocate for full transparency while also working to pass laws that are good for Utah’s third Congressional district.”

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