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WBAL: Ruppersberger Reacts To The Democratic Call For Impeachment Inquiry

Reps. Dutch Ruppersberger and Elijah Cummings and Sen. Chris Van Hollen on Tuesday joined the growing support for a Democratic call for an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.

Ruppersberger said that as a former prosecutor, he was hesitant to begin formal impeachment proceedings until he saw “clear, indisputable evidence that transcends politics.”

“Jeopardizing our national security is where I draw the line,” Ruppersberger said in a statement. “Withholding duly-appropriated money meant to aid a country that could be overtaken by Russia is reckless and dangerous. This is yet another example of the President doing [Vladimir] Putin’s bidding.”

At issue is a summer phone call Trump had with Ukraine’s president, which came to Congress’ attention through a whistleblower complaint. Trump has insisted he did nothing wrong in the call, but has suggested he raised Joe Biden and his son Hunter as part of discussions over corruption in Ukraine – despite no evidence of wrongdoing on the part of either man.

“This is the most credible abuse of power we have seen from the Administration to date. The President admitted that he encouraged a foreign leader to dig up dirt on his political opponent,” Ruppersberger said in the statement. “He has admitted he broke the law in blocking Congressionally-appropriated taxpayer dollars to Ukraine. And he’s engaging in a cover-up by refusing to release the whistleblower complaint as required by the law. Releasing the transcript of the phone call doesn’t change these facts.”

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