Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Wednesday Democrats rushed to judgment in announcing a formal impeachment inquiry into President Trump earlier this week, saying Speaker Nancy Pelosi has caved to the far left.
The Kentucky Republican said it was just one week ago the progressive lawmakers were calling for the impeachment of Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh based on an opinion article in The New York Times which had to be substantially corrected.
“One week later, here they go again threatening impeachment without the facts in hand,” Mr. McConnell said on the chamber floor. “Speaker Pelosi couldn’t hold back the far left any longer.”
He said the Senate will continue to probe the whistleblower allegation against Mr. Trump, who was accused of making improper requests from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to dig up dirt on former Vice President Joseph R. Biden’s son, who reportedly did work for a Ukrainian energy company that had been probed by a prosecutor.
The White House released a transcript of the call in question Wednesday, less than 24 hours after the Democrats announced their impeachment inquiry.
“House Democrats have been indulging their impeachment obsession for nearly three years… a never ending impeachment parade in search of a rationale,” Mr. McConnell said.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer defended Speaker Pelosi Wednesday after the call transcript was released, saying the impeachment inquiry is in the best interest of the country.
“The president’s conduct made an impeachment inquiry unavoidable,” the New York Democrat said.
He said not only should the call with the Ukrainian president be scrutinized by Congress, but so should calls between the president and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“The release of the transcript of one of President Trump’s calls… will not assuage our concerns or the public’s concerns,” he said.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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