Democratic Congressman: Impeachment Is Not A Matter Of Whether, But A Matter Of When

Democratic Representative John Yarmuth believes impeachment of President Donald Trump is inevitable. Speaking to CNN’s Aliysn Camerota, the Chairman of the House Budget Committee said there was evidence for impeachment and investigations in the House were the first steps.

“First of all, I think he probably ought to be impeached because of the budget document he sent up to the Hill yesterday. But that’s another story,” Yarmuth joked. “You know, I think we have a situation – I fully understand where Speaker Pelosi is coming from. She makes valid points. But iIn my opinion if impeachment is to mean anything, and it’s in the Constitution for a reason, it is because when we see evidence of impeachable offenses we need to start the process to remove the President from office.”

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi appeared to rule out impeachment in an interview, causing some consternation among Democrats. However, Pelosi’s comments leave the door open to impeachment proceedings if sufficient evidence and bipartisan support materialize.

“I think we are essentially in the beginning of an impeachment process, impeachment process begins with hearings,” Yarmuth said. “Judiciary Committee is holding them, Intelligence committee, the Oversight committee. We are gathering evidence of many of the possible impeachable offenses. I happen to believe there is sufficient evidence of abuse of power, of violating the emoluments clause.”

“Let me make the distinction. And a lot of people confuse evidence with proof. There is an abundance of evidence that the Trump campaign, for instance, cooperated with the Russians in the middle of the 2016 election. Is there proof? Not yet. Maybe. But there’s plenty of evidence. Abuse of power. Just the other day, a report that the President was trying to use his office to kill a proposed merger deal with Time Warner and AT&T because – to get at CNN. And he favored a merger deal to help his friend Rupert Murdoch. So, that’s evidence of abuse of power. We need to look into it. I don’t think now there is a way to get 218 votes on the floor of the House for an impeachment resolution, but I think that’s not a matter of whether, but it is a matter of when.”

Camerota pointed out that impeachments can backfire on the party that tries to remove the President. Yarmuth was sanguine about the political consequences.

“I think we have obligations under the Constitution,” Yarmuth said. “The Founding Fathers put the impeachment process in the Constitution for a reason. And it was essentially a way of keeping the chief executive from doing additional damage to the country. I think we’re very, very close to that point, if not there. And that’s why I think, again, it’s our obligation. It may not be the smartest political calculation. I fully concede that. I see where Speaker Pelosi is coming from on that score.”

Watch above, via CNN.