- Title: Trump stooping beneath dignity of Constitution -Pelosi
- Date: 2nd October 2019
- Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (OCTOBER 2, 2019) (REUTERS) NANCY PELOSI AND ADAM SCHIFF ENTERING ROOM FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) REP. ADAM SCHIFF, (D) CALIFORNIA AND HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE CHAIR, SAYING: "We are deeply concerned about Secretary Pompeo's effort now to potentially interfere with witnesses whose testimony is needed before our committee, many of whom are mentioned in the whistleblower complaint. And we want to make it abundantly clear that any effort by the secretary, by the president or anyone else to interfere with the congress' ability to call before it relevant witnesses will be considered obstruction of the lawful functions of congress." PELOSI AND SCHIFF LISTENING TO REPORTER (SOUNDBITE) (English) REP. ADAM SCHIFF, (D) CALIFORNIA AND HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE CHAIR, SAYING: "It's hard to imagine a set of circumstances that would have alarmed the founders more than what's on that call where you have a president using the full power of his office to try to effectively coerce a foreign leader, who is completely dependent on our country for military, economic, diplomatic and other support, to intervene in our election to help his campaign. It's hard to imagine a more corrupt course of conduct. So to my Republican colleagues that say, 'there's nothing to see here' or 'yeah, it's bad but is it really something you'd remove the president from office for?'. They're going to have to answer if this conduct does not rise to the level that the founders had, what conduct does?" CAMERAS IN NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) REP. NANCY PELOSI, (D) CALIFORNIA AND HOUSE SPEAKER, SAYING: "And this president of the United States is stooping to a level that is beneath the dignity of the constitution of the United States. And our founders - since the chairman mentioned the founders - they put guard-rails in the constitution because they knew there'd be someone who would overplay his or her power. They never thought we'd have a president who would kick those guard-rails over and disregard the constitution and say article two says that I can do whatever I feel like." PELOSI AND SCHIFF LISTENING TO REPORTER PELOSI AND SCHIFF LEAVING
- Embargoed: 16th October 2019 17:03
- Keywords: Nancy Pelosi Adam Schiff Trump Donald Trump Trump whistleblower complaint Trump impeachment inquiry Trump corruption politics
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- City: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001AZEOM6F
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: U.S. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, a top Democrat in the inquiry into a whistleblower complaint that could ultimately cost President Donald Trump the White House, warned Secretary of State Mike Pompeo not to stop diplomatic officials from testifying before congressional committees.
"We are deeply concerned about Secretary Pompeo's effort now to potentially interfere with witnesses whose testimony is needed before our committee, many of whom are mentioned in the whistleblower complaint," Schiff said at a press conference. His remarks come one day after Pompeo pushed back on House Democrats' efforts to take depositions from State Department officials, accusing the lawmakers of bullying and intimidation.
"And we want to make it abundantly clear that any effort by the secretary, by the president or anyone else to interfere with the congress' ability to call before it relevant witnesses will be considered obstruction of the lawful functions of congress," Schiff said.
Obstruction charges can be used to impeach a president under the U.S. Constitution.
The Democratic-led House last week launched its impeachment inquiry, which threatens Trump's presidency, in the aftermath of a complaint brought by a whistleblower within the U.S. intelligence community over Trump's request to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during a July 25 phone call to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden.
Biden is a leading contender for the Democratic nomination to challenge Trump in the 2020 presidential election. Democrats have accused Trump of pressuring a vulnerable U.S. ally to interfere in the 2020 U.S. election to harm a domestic political rival for Trump's personal political benefit.
Trump made his request to Zelenskiy shortly after he had frozen nearly $400 million in U.S. aid to Ukraine. Zelenskiy agreed to Trump's request on the call. The aid money was later provided to Ukraine. Democrats have accused Trump of using taxpayer money as leverage on Ukraine.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi added that the use of foreign aid for Ukraine, which had already been approved by Congress, as leverage by Trump was undermining democracy.
"This president of the United States is stooping to a level that is beneath the dignity of the constitution of the United States. And our founders - since the chairman mentioned the founders - they put guard-rails in the constitution because they knew there'd be someone who would overplay his or her power. They never thought we'd have a president who would kick those guardrails over and disregard the constitution and say article two says that I can do whatever I feel like," Pelosi said.
(Production: Nathan Frandino) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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