The No. 2 ranking Democrat in the Senate said Monday that he thinks it is “too early” to begin discussing impeachment proceedings against President Trump.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said Monday that Congress should focus on investigating the Trump administration, echoing the sentiments of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
“I think it’s too early. I think Nancy Pelosi is right. Let’s gather information, evidence, testimony,” Durbin said Monday. “The House initiates this, and I think that’s the place where it should be started.”
Earlier this month, Pelosi enlisted the help of her leadership team to quell calls from the caucus members for immediate impeachment proceedings against Trump. Still, at least one high-profile figure, Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., has insisted on calling for impeachment, although she claimed she would not pressure fellow Democrats to join her cause.
Democratic leaders in the Senate, where they are the minority party, have been quieter on the issue. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has not spoken about impeachment since the release of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report, except to say that more underlying documents should be released, and Mueller should testify before Congress.
Mueller’s report was released this month. The 22-month investigation found no evidence of conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia to steal the 2016 presidential election, but offered 10 instances in which Trump might have obstructed justice. Attorney General William Barr and former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein wrote a four-page summary of Mueller’s investigation last month that cleared Trump of both colluding with Russia and obstructing justice.
