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Montana Congressional Delegation Reacts To Impeachment Inquiry

Corin Cates-Carney
/
Montana Public Radio

Montana’s congressional delegation is reacting in the wake of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s announcement this Tuesday that the House will move forward with an official impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump.

On Tuesday morning, Republican Senator Steve Daines Tweeted “Impeachment. Obsession.” over a GIF of a character from the popular TV show “The Office” rolling his eyes.

A spokesperson wrote YPR that Daines “believes the Democrats sound like a broken record with their two plus years of impeachment threats.”

She added now isn’t the time to speculate about Trump’s alleged conversations with the Ukrainian president and Daines looks forward to hearing the facts.

Credit Louise Johns

Speaking at a House Judiciary Committee hearing last week, Republican Congressman Greg Gianforte chastised Democrats for investigating the President over addressing what he called the “crisis on our border” and episodes of mass violence.

"But instead this committee has been taken over with impeachment fever. Madam Chair, if you have to investigate something, if your fever just won't break, maybe you could bring Inspector General Horowitz from the Justice Department to discuss the actions of the FBI, CIA and Special Council. Maybe you could do more than take a shallow look at the deep state," he says.

Montana’s Democratic Sen. Jon Tester said he’s disturbed by reports the president pressured the leader of a foreign country to investigate his political opponent.

Tester wrote the administration’s withholding a report from a co-equal branch of government is unprecedented and dangerous.

He added next steps should wait until the Inspector General’s report on the whistleblower’s complaint.

Gov. Steve Bullock, who’s running for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, said in a campaign statement that if the president abused his office and jeopardized American national security for his own personal gain, then the House needs to impeach him.

Trump earlier Tuesday called the allegations against him "ridiculous" and a "witch hunt."

He contended he did nothing wrong and is promising to release a transcript of the call that triggered Pelosi’s announcement Wednesday.

Copyright 2020 Montana Public Radio. To see more, visit Montana Public Radio.

Corin Cates-Carney is the Flathead Valley reporter for MTPR.