September 24, 2019

Casten Doubles Down on Need for Impeachment Inquiry After Troubling Details About Trump’s Conversation with Ukrainian President Emerge

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Sean Casten (IL-06) released the following statement after evidence emerges about President Trump's troublesome communications with the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as, Speaker Nancy Pelosi's announcement to pursue a formal impeachment inquiry into the President of the United States.

Casten said, "In June, I called for an impeachment inquiry into the President of the United States. My determination that an inquiry is necessary has only intensified as a result of new revelations concerning the President's communications with the Ukrainian president.

"When I called for an impeachment inquiry earlier this year, I cited the Special Counsel's report. Upon its release, I read the Mueller report in its entirety; the findings were alarming. It raised serious questions about Russian interference in our elections and the integrity of the White House. And I still struggle with the fact our President may have instructed others to lie for him, tried to intimidate witnesses, and conceal the truth from the American people.

"Now, over the past few days, we have learned that the President apparently grossly abused the powers of his office to pressure a foreign government to investigate a political opponent. Some may excuse that type of behavior by an unelected individual when it occurs in Trump Tower, but the Congress and the American people cannot turn a blind eye when it comes from the President of the United States and it happens in the White House. Donald Trump has risked our national security and invited yet another foreign government to intercede to influence our elections. Donald Trump is so singularly focused on promoting his own fortunes – political and otherwise – that he is incapable of defending the Constitutional rights and respecting the will of the American people. His behavior is a clear and present danger to our Republic.

"I applaud Speaker Pelosi's decision to open an impeachment inquiry into the President of the United States."

###