Tulsi Gabbard Reverses Course, Supports Donald Trump’s Impeachment Following Ukraine Whistleblower Complaint
Democratic president hopeful and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is changing her tune on the impeachment of President Trump. In a statement the legislator released Friday, Gabbard said she now is in support of efforts to impeach the president following recent reports that the president, on a phone call with President Volodymyr Zelensky, asked Ukraine to investigate another one of his 2020 rivals, former Vice President Joe Biden.
“Up to this point, I have been opposed to pursuing impeachment because it will further divide our already badly divided country,” Gabbard said in the Friday statement. “However, after looking carefully at the transcript of the conversation with Ukraine’s President, the whistleblower complaint, the Inspector General memo, and President Trump’s comments about the issue, unfortunately, I believe that if we do not proceed with the inquiry, it will set a very dangerous precedent.”
Gabbard continued, and said without the impeachment inquiry, which was announced by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday, that future presidents could look on Trump’s actions and decide that they can “abuse” their power as president for their own personal prerogative, without worry of consequence.
Pelosi announced Tuesday that the House had begun an official impeachment inquiry into the president following reports that a whistleblower filed an official complaint alleging that President Trump asked the Ukrainian president on a July 25 phone call to investigate Biden. Following the reports, the White House released a summary transcript of that July call on Wednesday, which showed Trump asking for a “favor” and mentioning Biden on the call.
Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire testified before Congress on Thursday and was grilled about the whistleblower complaint. He was asked why it took him more than a month after it was filed on August 12 to provide the report to Congress. At the same time he was testifying, Pelosi told press that she believed the president was engaged in a “cover-up.”
Donald Trump Demands Adam Schiff Resign 'Immediately,' Schiff Hits Back On Twitter. Schiff is accused of donning his tinfoil hat by Trump supporters on the social platform. #DonaldTrump #USPolitics https://t.co/9CmNVcnFAQ
— The Inquisitr (@theinquisitr) September 27, 2019
Her comments come after the official whistleblower complaint, referenced by Gabbard in her Friday statement and released to the public on Thursday, alleges that the president and members of his administration took efforts to hide evidence of the July call, storing an official transcript in a location meant for classified files. Per the complaint, the whistleblower, who was not a party on the July call but claims to have been told about it by several credible officials who were, alleges claims that the White House has taken similar actions on other occasions.
Per a previous report from The Inquisitr, Gabbard slammed the Democratic National Committee (DNC) earlier this week over what she called a “lack of transparency” in its requirements to qualify for the party’s primary debates. Gabbard met the donor requirement for the September debate earlier this month, but did not meet the polling requirements and was therefore unable to participate.
