Mike Pence: Not a ‘foregone conclusion’ that House impeaches Trump

Vice President Mike Pence said in a new interview that he’s not sure House Democrats can round up the votes to formally impeach President Trump.

“I know that Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi has announced articles of impeachment, but I have to tell you I served in the Congress for 12 years and I don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion that the Democrats will be able to get the votes to pass articles of impeachment,” Mr. Pence said in a Fox News interview broadcast on Saturday.

Mrs. Pelosi said last week that Democrats would move forward on drafting articles of impeachment against Mr. Trump.

The House is investigating whether the president abused his power by pressuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky into launching investigations, including into former Vice President Joseph R. Biden and the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

“There was no illicit plan to extort the Ukrainian president,” Mr. Pence said. “The president released the transcript. There’s no quid pro quo.”