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House of Representatives announces formal impeachment inquiry

Nancy Pelosi announced the official formal impeachment inquiry earlier today.
Nancy Pelosi announced the official formal impeachment inquiry earlier today.

WASHINGTON D.C.(NewsLink) - The House of Representatives announced a formal impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump earlier today after they deemed that the president violated his oath of office.

The inquiry came after Trump admitted discussing former Vice President Joe Biden and his son in a phone call with the Ukranian president.

“The actions taken to date by the president have seriously violated the Constitution,” said Speaker Nancy Pelosi after emerging from a meeting of House Democrats in the basement of the Capitol. She said Trump “must be held accountable — no one is above the law.”

This announcement unfolded after months of caution investigation by House Democrats who have been divided on how to take action on the misconduct by the president. After a recent decision that ended the democratic division on the subject, Pelosi said Trump’s actions and his administration’s refusal to share details with Congress left the House with no other choice.

One main issue is the allegations that Mr. Trump pressured the president of Ukraine to open a corruption investigation of former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., a leading contender for the Democratic presidential nomination, and his son. Trump’s refusal to share details outside of the phone call’s transcript with Congress led to the House’s decision due to the belief that Trump is violating his presidential oath.

“The actions of the Trump presidency revealed dishonorable facts of the president’s betrayal of his oath of office, betrayal of our national security and betrayal of the integrity of our elections,” Pelosi said.

Trump, who is in New York working with the United Nations, responded to the news through several tweets. One simply reads, “PRESIDENTIAL HARASSMENT!” While others are more in depth.

“Such an important day at the United Nations, so much work and so much success, and the Democrats purposely had to ruin and demean it with more breaking news Witch Hunt garbage,” Trump wrote. “So bad for our Country!”

This decision is the start of a formal impeachment inquiry. It does not necessarily mean that the House will ultimately vote to charge Trump with high crimes and misdemeanors, but Pelosi and her leadership initiated the process because they are prepared to reach that outcome.

The House Judiciary Committee has been conducting its own impeachment acquisition after the finding by Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III as well as allegations that the president may be illegally profiting by spending state and foreign governments and other matters.

For any comments or concerns about this story, contact the author at emharless@bsu.edu.