(INDIANAPOLIS) – Indiana Senator Todd Young says House Democrats haven’t made the case yet for impeaching President Trump.
Young says the summary of Trump’s phone call pushing Ukraine to investigate potential Democratic opponent Joe Biden is not, in his words, a “smoking transcript.” He says he doesn’t have a hard and fast rule for what would be impeachable conduct — he says it’s a case-by-case determination, and says he’ll review any documents or evidence in the event of an impeachment.
The Senate gets involved only if the House votes to impeach. At that point, the Senate conducts a trial, with a two-thirds vote required to remove the president from office. Only two presidential impeachment efforts have gotten that far, with the Senate voting to acquit both Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton.
Young says Democrats’ motives are suspect. He charges they’ve been looking for a way to force Trump from office since he was elected.
Young has said little about the impeachment investigation. He says he’s determined not to let the House inquiry distract him from policy priorities like the trade deal with Mexico and Canada. Indiana’s other senator, Republican Mike Braun, has been a more outspoken opponent, issuing a statement this week declaring Trump is right to refuse to cooperate with an impeachment probe he calls a “partisan sham.”
Indiana’s House members, seven Republicans and two Democrats, have split along party lines on whether the House should look into impeachment. Democrat Andre Carson serves on the Intelligence Committee, which has taken the lead so far in conducting impeachment hearings.
Sen. Todd Young (R-Indianapolis) (Photo: Eric Berman/WIBC)
