As more members of her Democratic caucus call for an impeachment inquiry into President Trump, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday that removing the president is “not off the table” but said it should only be used to uphold the U.S. Constitution.
“It’s not off the table. I don’t think you should impeach for political reasons and I don’t think you should not impeach for political reasons. It’s not about politics. It’s not about Democrats and Republicans. It’s not about partisanship. It’s about patriotism to our country. It’s upholding the Constitution of the United States,” the California Democrat said during The Peter G. Peterson Foundation’s 2019 Fiscal Summit, held at the Neweum.
Mrs. Pelosi was resistant to discussing the president during the entire interview saying, “I don’t even want to talk about him” and even telling CNN’s Manu Raju at one point, “I don’t care what you ask anymore. I’m not going to talk about him anymore.”
After that statement, she continued discussing Mr. Trump, adding any actions that House Democrats take need to be their “strongest possible case.”
“If you open up an inquiry, does it — do you get more information? You still end up in the court … if you want to go down that path,” Mrs. Pelosi said. “I maintain to go to the courts, we have to have the strongest possible case — ironclad.”
She added: “My obligation is to do whatever we do in the most effective way possible.”
The House speaker’s comments come as House Democrats split into two main camps: those who support the opening of an impeachment inquiry and those calling for more investigations before that drastic step is taken.
Mrs. Pelosi said there is “nothing more divisive in our country” than impeachment, and her Democratic caucus is “trying to make decisions as we go forth that are unifying, not defying.”
But she did knock Republicans, saying they are disrespecting their oaths of office.
“What is appalling is the lack of respect for the oath of office that Republicans in Congress in the House and in the Senate have for their own oath of offices to strengthen the institution in which they serve, and it’s not about Congress, it’s about the American people,” the speaker said.
Mrs. Pelosi would not confirm or deny a Politico report that she said in a private meeting that she wanted to see Mr. Trump “in prison” instead of impeached, saying she wants to focus on “what’s happening within our country” and not in the Democratic caucus.
She also called for legislation to be passed that prevents further Russian interference in U.S. election, dinging the president for calling it a “hoax.”
“This is very important to our country, about who we are. We have a situation where Russia, with full accounts of our intelligence community, made an assault on our election, an attack on our democracy. The president of the United States calls it a hoax. How does he side with Putin and not with our intelligence? We must pass legislation so they won’t do it again,” Mrs. Pelosi said.
• Bailey Vogt can be reached at bvogt@washingtontimes.com.
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