GOP Rep. Will Hurd of Texas is not willing to impeach President Trump on the evidence so far presented to Congress about the president’s July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Hurd is one of a handful of vocal Trump critics within the GOP in Congress. He is also not running for reelection in 2020.
Hurd delivered his verdict on Thursday on the fifth and likely final day of testimony for witnesses in the House impeachment investigation into Trump’s July 25 phone call. The impeachment investigation began after a CIA whistleblower alleged that Trump withheld military aid from Ukraine to secure investigations into former Vice President Joe Biden.
Hurd said that Trump’s request to “do us a favor” and his reference to Biden on the call were wrong.
“I believe both statements were inappropriate, misguided foreign policy, and it’s certainly not how an executive currently or in the future should handle such a call,” Hurd said.
“An impeachable offense should be compelling, overwhelmingly clear, and unambiguous, and it’s not something to be rushed or taken lightly,” Hurd added, concluding his five minutes of questioning. “I have not heard evidence proving the president committed bribery or extortion.”
[Read more: Public impeachment hearings haven’t changed minds in or out of Congress]
