Ernst, Grassley Respond to Pelosi’s Impeachment Announcement

Iowa’s Republican U.S. Senators Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley responded the announcement by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on Tuesday afternoon that she is formalizing an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump after reports of allegations that he pressured Ukraine during a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last July to investigate Vice President Joe Biden family’s financial ties to Ukraine.

Ernst blasted House Democrats.

“House Democrats have spent more than two years—since the morning of November 9, 2016—engaging in antics to undermine President Trump. The fact that they are pushing for impeachment is no surprise, as their motives have always been crystal clear. The Senate Intelligence Committee, in a thoughtful and bipartisan manner, is doing its job and looking into the claims by the whistleblower, and I support that effort. Shame on the House Democrats if they use impeachment as an excuse to play politics instead of focusing on issues that affect the livelihoods of Iowans across our state,” she said.

Grassley chided Democrats for not waiting on facts.

“The president said he will release tomorrow the full, unclassified transcript of his phone call with the Ukrainian president. That level of transparency is extraordinary from any White House. The leadership of the Senate intelligence committee is also working to do its part and hear from the alleged whistleblower and intelligence officials,” he said in a released statement.

“Unfortunately, instead of waiting to learn the facts by reviewing that transcript or hearing from the whistleblower, Democrats have moved straight to starting the impeachment process. Democrats have been searching for any reason to impeach President Trump since his inauguration because they couldn’t accept the results of the 2016 election,” Grassley added.

Grassley said the announcement reeks of hypocrisy as Biden publicly stated that he used his office and taxpayer dollars to pressure Ukraine’s president into taking action that he says benefited Biden’s son.

“If Democrats use impeachment proceedings as a basis to not act on policy that will directly benefit Americans like the USMCA or lowering prescription drug prices, that would prove they’re more interested in politics and opposing the president at all costs than serving the American people. For my part, I’ll continue focusing on the issues that affect the everyday lives of Iowans. I hope my Democrat colleagues return to doing the same for their constituents,” he concluded.