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For the first time since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi launched an impeachment inquiry into President Trump, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is backing the effort.
In the days since Pelosi launched the effort, Biden had been cautiously avoiding taking a stance on the issue as impeachment’s political divisiveness would undoubtedly affect his campaign.
But, during a campaign rally in New Hampshire on Wednesday, Biden jumped all-in on impeachment.
“Donald Trump has violated his oath of office betrayed this nation, and committed impeachable acts,” Biden said at the rally per ABC News.
“To preserve our Constitution, our democracy, our basic integrity, he should be impeached,” the Democratic frontrunner continued.
Watch:
For the first time, Joe Biden calls for Pres. Trump to be impeached: “To preserve our Constitution, our democracy, our basic integrity, he should be impeached.” https://t.co/pb1ua0dClk pic.twitter.com/N2tPt7V1tS
— ABC News (@ABC) October 10, 2019
Despite Biden’s late call for Trump’s impeachment, ABC News reports the former vice president stands at the center of the controversy which Pelosi is pushing impeachment over—Trump allegedly pressuring the Ukrainian president to investigate Biden and his son.
ABC News adds:
The direct call marks a noted shift for the former vice president who had not gone as far as most of his Democratic presidential rivals in calling for Trump’s impeachment. Biden served as a senator during the impeachment inquiries of former presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton.
An adviser to the former vice president told ABC News that Biden “does not come to this decision lightly.”
“Fifteen days ago, VP Biden said that if Donald Trump and his Administration obstructed Congress’ Constitutional right to investigate, it would be a tragedy of his own making, and one that would necessarily lead to impeachment proceedings. These last fifteen days have been a remarkable period in American political history,” a Biden adviser told ABC News in a written statement.
And:
Biden said Trump’s motivation in attacking him and his son Hunter over their role in the ousting of Ukrainian prosecutor, is solely political, and reflects his nervousness that he will lose to Biden in a general election match-up.
“Trump did it, because like every bully I’ve ever known or every bully we’ve read about in history, he’s basically a coward…He’s afraid about just how badly I will beat him next November. [standing applause] Folks, he’s targeted me and my family with lies and distortions and smears,” Biden said.
— Advertisement — For his part, Trump retorted on Twitter that it’s “pathetic to see Sleepy Joe Biden, who with his son, Hunter, and to the detriment of the American Taxpayer, has ripped off at least two countries for millions of dollars, calling for my impeachment – and I did nothing wrong. Joe’s Failing Campaign gave him no other choice!”
