Simpson criticizes impeachment push

By Nathan Brown

Eastern Idaho’s congressman on Wednesday criticized the House Democrats’ decision to move forward with an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.

“Democrats have been threatening to impeach President Trump before he was sworn into office,” U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson, who represents Idaho’s Second Congressional District, said in an email. “To date, I have seen nothing that warrants impeachment, and there have certainly been ample opportunities to analyze their many accusations during their countless investigations. However, they have their constitutional right to proceed in their relentless endeavor. I, for one, believe the American people deserve more from their elected officials. Our country faces real issues including immigration reform, cyber-security, and funding the federal government for fiscal year 2020 which starts next week, and we should be focused on those things.”

U.S. Sen. Jim Risch and U.S. Rep. Russ Fulcher put out similar statements Tuesday, after Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced she was opening a formal impeachment inquiry into allegations Trump asked the Ukrainian president to investigate the son of former vice president and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, the fourth member of Idaho’s all-Republican D.C. delegation, didn’t take a definitive stand on impeachment but said he would wait and see where the facts lead.

In a summer phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Trump reportedly asked for help investigating Biden and his son Hunter. In the days before the call, he ordered advisers to freeze $400 million in military aid for Ukraine, prompting speculation that he was holding out the money as leverage for information on the Bidens. Trump has denied that charge but acknowledged he blocked the funds, later released.

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