U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal delivered what may be the most convincing argument to Republicans yet on why they should vote to impeach President Donald Trump during Wednesday night’s impeachment articles markup debate.
“The president is the smoking gun,” the Democratic Congresswoman told her fellow Judiciary Committee members, as NBC News reports.
“This is not hearsay. The president was the first and best witness in this case. The president admitted to his wrongdoing and corrupt intent on national television. The president is the smoking gun.”
Noting that the “facts are clear,” Rep. Jayapal made her case, saying “Donald Trump abused the power of the office of the presidency to pursue his own personal political gain, and leveraged critically needed, congressionally approved military aid to coerce a fragile foreign ally to interfere in our elections.”
Trump’s “obstruction of Congress and blanket directive to deny us even a single witness, a single document, is unprecedented, and yet, in spite of that obstruction, multiple patriots came forward and provided damning corroborating testimony.”
“President Trump has solicited foreign interference before, he is doing it now, and he will do it again. The smoking gun is already reloaded. And whether or not it gets fired, that’s up to us.”
Full video: