Jayapal statement on next phase of House impeachment inquiry

Statement

U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), a member of the House Judiciary Committee and Co-Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, today issued the following statement after House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) announced the Committee will hold a hearing on Monday, December 9, to receive presentations of evidence from counsels to the House Intelligence and Judiciary committees related to the impeachment of President Donald Trump:

"The Speaker has asked that House Judiciary Committee begin drafting article of impeachments, a task that we will undertake seriously, carefully and thoughtfully, in conjunction with leadership," said Jayapal. "In spite of unprecedented obstruction of Congress by the President and his Administration, the House impeachment inquiry has uncovered an overwhelming amount of uncontested facts. The facts paint a damning picture of a President who abused the power of his office for his own personal, political interests."

"This is a sober moment for the nation. My colleagues and I must look at all the facts, consider the lasting ramifications of a President who believes he is above the law and engages in behavior that openly threatens our elections and our democracy, and remember the oath we've been entrusted to uphold. If we don't stand up now to a president who abuses his power, we risk sending a message to all future presidents that they can put their own personal political interests ahead of the American people, our elections, and our national security. This would be a grave threat to our democracy and our Constitution," said Jayapal. "I will stay true to the oath I took to defend the Constitution, and I hope my Republican colleagues will do the same."

During yesterday's Judiciary Committee hearing titled, "The Impeachment Inquiry into President Donald J. Trump: Constitutional Grounds for Presidential Impeachment," Jayapal asked Stanford Law School Professor Pamela S. Karlan about the Supreme Court's legal framework for assessing credibility and applying it to President Trump's claims that he was worried about corruption in Ukraine. Karlan concluded that the facts do not support the President's claim.

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