Democratic Party plunges into Trump impeachment inquiry into Ukraine claims

The U.S. Democratic Party has set out to impeach President Donald Trump on Tuesday (local time). The action comes as the so-classed “Ukraine scandal” that involves allegations of President Trump pressuring Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate leading Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son.

Even if the impeachment plan is passed at the House of Representatives, it will require the approval of more than two-thirds of the Senate (53 Republicans, 45 Democrats and two independents), which makes the impeachment unlikely. However, with the opposition party’s impeachment coming at a time with the presidential election drawing close, the action will undoubtedly impact U.S. domestic politics as well as international order.

“The House has official launched inquiry to determine the impeachment of the president. The actions of the President have failed the duties of the Constitution and breached national security,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. This will the fourth time attempt to impeach the president in U.S. history.

The Democratic Party instructed six congressional committees, including the Judiciary Committee, to begin investigations. The Democratic Party will also be targeting questions on Joseph Maguire, the acting director of national intelligence who will attend a Congress hearing on Thursday.

President Trump has immediately denied wrongdoing and called the allegations as “witch hunt and fake news.” He said that he has “authorized the release of the “complete, fully declassified and unredacted” transcript of a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. “You will see that it was a totally appropriate call,” Trump said. He acknowledged suspending of military aid of 391 million dollars (some 467 billion won) to Ukraine and said that it was not intended to pressure Biden and his son and not “quid pro quo.”


lightee@donga.com