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Democrats, Republicans Lay Out Sharply Divergent Views on Trump Impeachment

Ken Bredemeier

   Democratic and Republican leaders of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee
   laid out sharply divergent views Monday for and against the impeachment
   of President Donald Trump.

   The Judiciary Committee hearing on the allegations against Trump is a
   rare moment in the 243-year history of the U.S., only the fourth time
   an American leader has faced an impeachment inquiry. Two U.S.
   presidents have been impeached, but none removed from office through
   the impeachment process.

   The panel's Democratic chairman, Congressman Jerrold Nadler, said
   repeatedly, "President Trump put himself above the country," as he
   pushed Ukraine to investigate one of his chief 2020 Democratic
   challengers, former Vice President Joe Biden, while temporarily
   withholding $391 million in military aid Kyiv wanted to fight
   pro-Russian separatists in the eastern part of the country.

   Nadler, pushing for Trump's impeachment, contended that the U.S. leader
   "invited" Russia to help him win the 2016 election and "demanded it for
   2020 (from Ukraine) and then he got caught. He has violated his most
   basic responsibility to the country."

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