LOC10:26
07:26 GMT
WASHINGTON, Oct 16 (KUNA) -- US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced late on Tuesday that House Democrats will hold off on a full House vote authorizing an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.
"There's no requirement that we have a vote, and so at this time we will not be having a vote," Pelosi said during a press conference.
She stressed "we are here to find the truth and uphold the Constitution of the United States. This is not a game for us. This is deadly serious. And we are on a path that is taking us to a path to truth and a timetable that respects our Constitution."
Meanwhile, Vice President Mike Pence rejected a request from House Democrats for documents related to Ukraine as part of the impeachment inquiry.
Counsel to the Vice President, Matthew Morgan wrote in a letter to the chairmen of the House Oversight, Intelligence and Foreign Affairs Committees that "the purported "impeachment inquiry" has been designed and implemented in a manner that calls into question your commitment to fundamental fairness and due process rights."
"Instead of being accountable to the American people and casting a vote to authorize what all agree is a substantial constitutional step, you have instead attempted to avoid this fundamental requirement by invoking the Speaker's announcement of an "official impeachment inquiry" at a press conference? Never before in history has the Speaker of the House attempted to launch an "impeachment inquiry" against a President without a majority of the House of Representatives voting to authorize a constitutionally acceptable process," the letter noted.
Also, Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani also refused to comply with House Democrats' impeachment inquiry subpoenas, where he tweeted that he would not "participate in an illegitimate, unconstitutional, and baseless "impeachment inquiry."
During the fourth Democratic presidential debate Tuesday evening in Ohio, candidates were asked about the impeachment inquiry, where Senator Elizabeth Warren stressed "impeachment is the way that we establish that this man (Trump) will not be permitted to break the law over and over without consequences."
"This is about Donald Trump, but, understand, it's about the next president and the next president and the next president and the future of this country. The impeachment must go forward," she remarked.
For his part, Senator Bernie Sanders stressed that "Trump is the most corrupt president in the history of this country.
This is a president who is enriching himself while using the Oval Office to do that, and that is outrageous."
He noted "I look forward, by the way, not only to a speedy and expeditious impeachment process, but (Senator Majority Leader) Mitch McConnell has got to do the right thing and allow a free and fair trial in the Senate."
Former Vice President, Joe Biden reiterated that he "did nothing wrong. I carried out the policy of the United States government in rooting out corruption in Ukraine."
"What I think is important is we focus on why it's so important to remove this man from office," he stressed. "This president on three occasions has invited foreign governments and heads of government to get engaged in trying to alter our elections. The fact is that it is outrageous."
He added "what we have to do now is focus on Donald Trump. He doesn't want me to be the candidate. He's going after me because he knows, if I get the nomination, I will beat him like a drum."
Last month, Last week, Pelosi announced that the House of Representatives "is moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry " of Trump amid a filed complaint by a whistleblower about his phone call with Ukrainian President, asking him to investigate the Biden and his son.
Last week, the White House sent a letter to Pelosi stating that Trump and his Administration will not participate in the impeachment inquiry, considering it "unconstitutional." (end)
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