Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) reiterated her call for impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump Friday evening, saying Congress is complicit in his continued abuse of power. (Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Sep 21, 2019
Sen. Elizabeth Warren accused the U.S. Congress of complicity in President Donald Trump's continued abuse of power late Friday, after reports surfaced of his alleged attempts to solicit foreign meddling in the 2020 presidential election, and reiterated her demand that Democrats use their majority in the House to pursue impeachment.
Warren's tweeted statement came hours after the Wall Street Journalreported that Trump urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden's opposition to a Ukrainian prosecutor in 2016.
Warren wrote that House Democrats should have promptly pursued impeachment after the release of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on Trump's campaign, which outlined a number of instances in which the president obstructed justice during Mueller's investigation--similar to the actions that led Congress to draft articles of impeachment against President Richard Nixon in 1974.
"By failing to act, Congress is complicit in Trump's latest attempt to solicit foreign interference to aid him in U.S. elections," Warren said. "Do your constitutional duty and impeach the president."
\u201cAfter the Mueller report, Congress had a duty to begin impeachment. By failing to act, Congress is complicit in Trump\u2019s latest attempt to solicit foreign interference to aid him in US elections. Do your constitutional duty and impeach the president.\u201d— Elizabeth Warren (@Elizabeth Warren) 1569022699
The Massachusetts Democrat and presidential candidate first demanded that Congress begin impeachment proceedings after reading the Mueller Report in April.
The House Judiciary Committee, which called former Trump campaign official Corey Lewandowski to testify earlier this week, has said it is in the midst of an impeachment inquiry. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has declined to classify the proceedings as such, and Democrats have drawn criticism for progressing slowly toward holding the president accountable for alleged obstruction of justice.
The reports of Trump's communications with Ukraine came days after the Washington Postreported that a whistleblower in the intelligence community revealed a "promise" the president made to Ukrainian officials. In comments to the press on Friday afternoon, Trump said, "It doesn't matter what I discuss" with foreign officials and called his conversation with Zelensky "totally appropriate."
"A president is sitting in the Oval Office, right now, who continues to commit crimes," Warren tweeted. "He continues because he knows his Justice Department won't act and believes Congress won't either. Today's news confirmed he thinks he's above the law. If we do nothing, he'll be right."
Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi dismissed the possibility of impeaching Trump, calling the whistleblower's report "alarming" and saying the White House is "breaking the law" by not allowing the director of national security to forward the complaint to Congress--but adding only that laws must be passed to prevent future presidents from behaving as Trump has.
"I do think that we will have to pass some laws that will have clarity for future presidents," Pelosi toldNPR. "A president should be indicted, if he's committed a wrongdoing--any president."
Pelosi drew rebukes from legislators and on social media for her continued reluctance.
"She's still holding back," one lawmaker toldThe Daily Beast. "If impeachment isn't for this, why is impeachment in the constitution?"
\u201cMillions of Americans showed up at the polls in 2018 to elect a Congress that would hold Trump accountable and protect our democracy.\n\nSpeaker Pelosi is letting us down.\n\nIt's time for Congress to do its job, protect our Constitution, and impeach Donald Trump.\n\nNo more excuses.\u201d— Sean Eldridge (@Sean Eldridge) 1569029942
\u201cWhat is it going to take, @SpeakerPelosi?\u201d— Michelle Goldberg (@Michelle Goldberg) 1569008799
"In 1974, Democrats and Republicans united in support of impeachment not out of mutual contempt for Nixon but mutual respect for the rule of law," Warren tweeted. "Congress refused to be complicit in future law-breaking by Nixon or other presidents. It's time for this Congress to step up and act."
Warren won praise for her call to Congress.
\u201c\ud83d\udcaf Warren is right. Enough is enough is enough is enough. Impeach Trump.\u201d— Jennifer Taub (@Jennifer Taub) 1569024107
\u201cThe first Democratic statement I\u2019ve seen that meets the moment\u201d— Michelle Goldberg (@Michelle Goldberg) 1569022844
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren accused the U.S. Congress of complicity in President Donald Trump's continued abuse of power late Friday, after reports surfaced of his alleged attempts to solicit foreign meddling in the 2020 presidential election, and reiterated her demand that Democrats use their majority in the House to pursue impeachment.
Warren's tweeted statement came hours after the Wall Street Journalreported that Trump urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden's opposition to a Ukrainian prosecutor in 2016.
Warren wrote that House Democrats should have promptly pursued impeachment after the release of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on Trump's campaign, which outlined a number of instances in which the president obstructed justice during Mueller's investigation--similar to the actions that led Congress to draft articles of impeachment against President Richard Nixon in 1974.
"By failing to act, Congress is complicit in Trump's latest attempt to solicit foreign interference to aid him in U.S. elections," Warren said. "Do your constitutional duty and impeach the president."
\u201cAfter the Mueller report, Congress had a duty to begin impeachment. By failing to act, Congress is complicit in Trump\u2019s latest attempt to solicit foreign interference to aid him in US elections. Do your constitutional duty and impeach the president.\u201d— Elizabeth Warren (@Elizabeth Warren) 1569022699
The Massachusetts Democrat and presidential candidate first demanded that Congress begin impeachment proceedings after reading the Mueller Report in April.
The House Judiciary Committee, which called former Trump campaign official Corey Lewandowski to testify earlier this week, has said it is in the midst of an impeachment inquiry. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has declined to classify the proceedings as such, and Democrats have drawn criticism for progressing slowly toward holding the president accountable for alleged obstruction of justice.
The reports of Trump's communications with Ukraine came days after the Washington Postreported that a whistleblower in the intelligence community revealed a "promise" the president made to Ukrainian officials. In comments to the press on Friday afternoon, Trump said, "It doesn't matter what I discuss" with foreign officials and called his conversation with Zelensky "totally appropriate."
"A president is sitting in the Oval Office, right now, who continues to commit crimes," Warren tweeted. "He continues because he knows his Justice Department won't act and believes Congress won't either. Today's news confirmed he thinks he's above the law. If we do nothing, he'll be right."
Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi dismissed the possibility of impeaching Trump, calling the whistleblower's report "alarming" and saying the White House is "breaking the law" by not allowing the director of national security to forward the complaint to Congress--but adding only that laws must be passed to prevent future presidents from behaving as Trump has.
"I do think that we will have to pass some laws that will have clarity for future presidents," Pelosi toldNPR. "A president should be indicted, if he's committed a wrongdoing--any president."
Pelosi drew rebukes from legislators and on social media for her continued reluctance.
"She's still holding back," one lawmaker toldThe Daily Beast. "If impeachment isn't for this, why is impeachment in the constitution?"
\u201cMillions of Americans showed up at the polls in 2018 to elect a Congress that would hold Trump accountable and protect our democracy.\n\nSpeaker Pelosi is letting us down.\n\nIt's time for Congress to do its job, protect our Constitution, and impeach Donald Trump.\n\nNo more excuses.\u201d— Sean Eldridge (@Sean Eldridge) 1569029942
\u201cWhat is it going to take, @SpeakerPelosi?\u201d— Michelle Goldberg (@Michelle Goldberg) 1569008799
"In 1974, Democrats and Republicans united in support of impeachment not out of mutual contempt for Nixon but mutual respect for the rule of law," Warren tweeted. "Congress refused to be complicit in future law-breaking by Nixon or other presidents. It's time for this Congress to step up and act."
Warren won praise for her call to Congress.
\u201c\ud83d\udcaf Warren is right. Enough is enough is enough is enough. Impeach Trump.\u201d— Jennifer Taub (@Jennifer Taub) 1569024107
\u201cThe first Democratic statement I\u2019ve seen that meets the moment\u201d— Michelle Goldberg (@Michelle Goldberg) 1569022844
Sen. Elizabeth Warren accused the U.S. Congress of complicity in President Donald Trump's continued abuse of power late Friday, after reports surfaced of his alleged attempts to solicit foreign meddling in the 2020 presidential election, and reiterated her demand that Democrats use their majority in the House to pursue impeachment.
Warren's tweeted statement came hours after the Wall Street Journalreported that Trump urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden's opposition to a Ukrainian prosecutor in 2016.
Warren wrote that House Democrats should have promptly pursued impeachment after the release of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on Trump's campaign, which outlined a number of instances in which the president obstructed justice during Mueller's investigation--similar to the actions that led Congress to draft articles of impeachment against President Richard Nixon in 1974.
"By failing to act, Congress is complicit in Trump's latest attempt to solicit foreign interference to aid him in U.S. elections," Warren said. "Do your constitutional duty and impeach the president."
\u201cAfter the Mueller report, Congress had a duty to begin impeachment. By failing to act, Congress is complicit in Trump\u2019s latest attempt to solicit foreign interference to aid him in US elections. Do your constitutional duty and impeach the president.\u201d— Elizabeth Warren (@Elizabeth Warren) 1569022699
The Massachusetts Democrat and presidential candidate first demanded that Congress begin impeachment proceedings after reading the Mueller Report in April.
The House Judiciary Committee, which called former Trump campaign official Corey Lewandowski to testify earlier this week, has said it is in the midst of an impeachment inquiry. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has declined to classify the proceedings as such, and Democrats have drawn criticism for progressing slowly toward holding the president accountable for alleged obstruction of justice.
The reports of Trump's communications with Ukraine came days after the Washington Postreported that a whistleblower in the intelligence community revealed a "promise" the president made to Ukrainian officials. In comments to the press on Friday afternoon, Trump said, "It doesn't matter what I discuss" with foreign officials and called his conversation with Zelensky "totally appropriate."
"A president is sitting in the Oval Office, right now, who continues to commit crimes," Warren tweeted. "He continues because he knows his Justice Department won't act and believes Congress won't either. Today's news confirmed he thinks he's above the law. If we do nothing, he'll be right."
Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi dismissed the possibility of impeaching Trump, calling the whistleblower's report "alarming" and saying the White House is "breaking the law" by not allowing the director of national security to forward the complaint to Congress--but adding only that laws must be passed to prevent future presidents from behaving as Trump has.
"I do think that we will have to pass some laws that will have clarity for future presidents," Pelosi toldNPR. "A president should be indicted, if he's committed a wrongdoing--any president."
Pelosi drew rebukes from legislators and on social media for her continued reluctance.
"She's still holding back," one lawmaker toldThe Daily Beast. "If impeachment isn't for this, why is impeachment in the constitution?"
\u201cMillions of Americans showed up at the polls in 2018 to elect a Congress that would hold Trump accountable and protect our democracy.\n\nSpeaker Pelosi is letting us down.\n\nIt's time for Congress to do its job, protect our Constitution, and impeach Donald Trump.\n\nNo more excuses.\u201d— Sean Eldridge (@Sean Eldridge) 1569029942
\u201cWhat is it going to take, @SpeakerPelosi?\u201d— Michelle Goldberg (@Michelle Goldberg) 1569008799
"In 1974, Democrats and Republicans united in support of impeachment not out of mutual contempt for Nixon but mutual respect for the rule of law," Warren tweeted. "Congress refused to be complicit in future law-breaking by Nixon or other presidents. It's time for this Congress to step up and act."
Warren won praise for her call to Congress.
\u201c\ud83d\udcaf Warren is right. Enough is enough is enough is enough. Impeach Trump.\u201d— Jennifer Taub (@Jennifer Taub) 1569024107
\u201cThe first Democratic statement I\u2019ve seen that meets the moment\u201d— Michelle Goldberg (@Michelle Goldberg) 1569022844
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.