Casey: Trump abused power
U.S. Sen. Bob Casey on Wednesday contended President Donald Trump abused his power, urging lawmakers to act.
鈥淚 support a formal impeachment inquiry in the House of Representatives,鈥� Casey, D-Lackawanna County, said. 鈥淢y concerns about the president鈥檚 conduct have grown over months, particularly as I thoroughly reviewed Special Counsel (Robert) Mueller鈥檚 report.鈥�
This week, the U.S. House of Representatives announced it would begin an official impeachment inquiry, with Democrats alleging the president abused his power by seeking help from Ukraine鈥檚 president to undermine Joe Biden, who is seeking the Democrat presidential nod.
Trump repeatedly pushed Ukraine鈥檚 president to 鈥渓ook into鈥� Biden, according to a rough transcript of a summer phone call that is now at the center of Democrats鈥� impeachment probe. Trump urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to work with Attorney General William Barr and Rudy Giuliani, Trump鈥檚 personal lawyer. At one point in the conversation, Trump said, 鈥淚 would like for you to do us a favor.鈥�
鈥淚f the House votes to impeach the president, I would be required as a U.S. Senator to vote in a Senate trial that would determine whether the president should be convicted and removed from office,鈥� Casey said. 鈥淪hould such a situation arise, I will keep an open mind. However, at this time, I cannot ignore the public evidence which has confronted all of us.鈥�
U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, who represents Fayette, Washington and Greene counties, released a statement on the formal impeachment inquiry late Tuesday, calling it a sad day for our democracy.
鈥淪peaker (Nancy) Pelosi鈥檚 decision to begin a formal impeachment inquiry based on secondhand allegations shows just how desperate the Democrats are to undo the will of the American people,鈥� Reschenthaler, of Peters Township, said. 鈥淐alling for impeachment before learning the facts sets a dangerous precedent and shows that once again, House Democrats are putting political theatre before the needs of the American people.鈥�
U.S. Senator Pat Toomey, R-Lehigh County, also released a statement on the matter, saying that he has repeatedly said a candidate for federal office seeking assistance from a foreign government would be inappropriate.
The first step toward impeachment is taken by the House, which debates and votes on whether to bring charges. This can be done by a simple majority of the House鈥檚 435 members.
If the House adopts an impeachment resolution, the Senate then holds a trial, with the chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court presiding. A two-thirds majority vote is required in the Senate to convict and remove a president.
Only 20 government officers in all, including presidents Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton, have been impeached, and only eight of them, all federal judges with lifetime tenure, have been convicted and removed from office.
Richard Nixon resigned to avoid being impeached in the Watergate scandal.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.