House Democratic leaders hope to placate calls from colleagues to immediately begin impeachment proceedings against President Trump by focusing their efforts on investigations into some of special counsel Robert Mueller’s most damning findings.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., hosted a caucus-wide conference call Monday evening after spending the weekend with committee chairs reviewing Mueller’s 400-plus-page report into Russia interference in the 2016 election and whether Trump obstructed justice.
The leadership team presented a united front as they laid out their preferred strategy.
Among the top Democrats who voiced support for investigations was House Financial Services Chairwoman Maxine Waters, a vocal Trump critic who told MSNBC as recently as last weekend she was “going to continue to be for impeachment.”
Although Waters prefers impeachment, she assured colleagues that she would not pressure anyone to rally to her cause.
Not every participant on the line was pleased with the direction leadership has chosen.
Rep. Val Demings, a Florida Democrat who sits on the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees, said the party was “struggling to justify why we aren’t beginning impeachment proceedings.”
“While I understand we need to see the full report and all supporting documents, I believe we have enough evidence now,” Demings said, the Washington Examiner can confirm.
Leadership’s position reflected a letter Pelosi circulated among her caucus Monday afternoon.
“While our views range from proceeding to investigate the findings of the Mueller report or proceeding directly to impeachment, we all firmly agree that we should proceed down a path of finding the truth,” she wrote. “It is also important to know that the facts regarding holding the President accountable can be gained outside of impeachment hearings. As we proceed to uncover the truth and present additional needed reforms to protect our democracy, we must show the American people we are proceeding free from passion or prejudice, strictly on the presentation of fact.”
The start of the call coincided with House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler subpoenaing former White House counsel Don McGahn. According to Mueller, McGahn, who left the Trump administration in October, resisted the president’s order to fire the special counsel.
Nadler, D-N.Y., is demanding that McGahn provide documents to the committee by May 7 and appear before the panel to give testimony on May 21.
Nadler also subpoenaed for the full Mueller report and its underlying evidence from the Justice Department. He gave DOJ until May 1 to turn over the information.
[Opinion: Here’s why impeachment talk is dangerous for Democrats]
