Rep. Tim Ryan on Sunday said it’s time to move forward with the impeachment process, after the 2020 Democratic presidential candidate had earlier taken a wait-and-see approach.
“I do believe we need to move forward with the impeachment process,” the Ohio Democrat said at a CNN town hall.
Mr. Ryan said he had wanted to know from special counsel Robert Mueller if Mr. Mueller would have prosecuted President Trump — if he was not the president — for charges stemming from Mr. Mueller’s probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
“I wanted to know that answer. And the answer I got a couple [of] days ago was yes, he would have,” Mr. Ryan said.
Mr. Mueller had said last week that Justice Department guidelines prevented him from bringing charges against Mr. Trump, but based on what he found in his investigation, he couldn’t exonerate the president, either.
“When you think that the president has committed crimes, which I have read the Mueller report and I believe he obstructed on multiple occasions, we have a responsibility,” Mr. Ryan said.
The congressman said he takes no “joy” in it and that he knows what it will do to the country.
“But I have a duty and a responsibility, and that duty and responsibility has led me [to] think that we have to do this,” he said.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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