Democratic California Rep. Adam Schiff admitted that there’s “no chance” the Senate Republicans would vote to convict President Donald Trump in an impeachment trial.
Regarding recent news of the intelligence community whistleblower who filed a complaint alleging that Trump made a “promise” to Ukrainian leaders, CNN host Jake Tapper asked the House Intelligence Committee chairman if the act would be an impeachable offense, if true.
“Well, Jake, you know I have been very reluctant to go down the path of impeachment for the reason that I think the Founders contemplated in a country that has elections every four years, that this would be an extraordinary remedy, a remedy of last resort, not first resort,” Schiff answered.
“But if the president is essentially withholding military aid at the same time trying to browbeat a foreign leader into doing something illicit, that is providing dirt on his opponent during a presidential campaign, then that may be the only remedy that is co-equal to the evil that that conduct represents,” he continued.
The host then brought up remarks made by Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who suggested in recent days that Democrats are complicit in the president’s behavior because they have failed to impeach him.
“Well, I would just say this, there is no chance of us persuading the Senate Republicans in an impeachment trial,” the California Democrat responded. “They have shown their willingness to carry the president’s baggage, no matter how soiled its contents. But I want to make sure before we go down this road that we could persuade the public that this was the right thing to do and part of persuading the public that impeachment is the right thing to do is making sure the country understands this is a last resort.”
