House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a letter sent to Democrats on Monday acknowledged efforts to seek impeachment against President Donald Trump following special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, stating that whether Trump is criminally charged or not, he “engaged in highly unethical and unscrupulous behavior.”
“As you know, last Thursday’s release of the redacted Mueller Report has caused a public outcry for truth and accountability,” her letter began.
“While our views range from proceeding to investigate the finding 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 stated. “We must show the American people we are proceeding free from passion or prejudice, strictly on the presentation of fact.”
Mueller reached no official decision on whether Trump obstructed justice, according to the redacted report, though some Democrats ― including presidential contender Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) ― have already called for impeachment hearings.
House Democrats are planning a conference call for late Monday afternoon to discuss the report’s findings.
“We may get to that. We may not,” Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, told Politico of impeachment. “As I’ve said before, it is our job to go through all the evidence, all the information we can get.”
Trump, argued Monday that unless he is charged with a crime, he can’t be removed from office.
“Only high crimes and misdemeanors can lead to impeachment. There were no crimes by me (No Collusion, No Obstruction), so you can’t impeach,” he stated.
Pelosi appeared to target that claim directly in her letter.
“Whether currently indictable or not, it is clear that the President has, at a minimum, engaged in highly unethical and unscrupulous behavior which does not bring honor to the office he holds,” she said. “It is also clear that the Congressional Republicans have an unlimited appetite for such low standards. The GOP should be ashamed of what the Mueller report has revealed, instead of giving the President their blessings.”
This story has been updated.