'I Have Seen Continued Obstruction By This President": Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell Supports Opening House Impeachment Inquiry
WASHINGTON D.C. (CBSMiami) -- U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (FL-26) is supporting the opening of a House impeachment inquiry for President Donald Trump.
The Miami Democrat spoke to CBS4's Jim DeFede Friday and revealed her position.
"As I was appointed to the Judiciary Committee and after reading the Mueller Report, I immediately became very concerned at what I saw after I received that report," she explained to DeFede. "I also took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution and I take that oath very seriously so I have been very methodical and I have taken my time, I have heard from different witnesses, different prosecutors and analysts, and what I have seen is continued obstruction by this President. The impeachment inquiry is going to allow us to have expedited rulings from the courts, we have full authority to investigate and I think it's time."
Mucarsel-Powell stresses that if the House opens an impeachment inquiry, it doesn't mean there will be an impeachment vote on the House floor.
WATCH U.S. REP. DEBBIE MUCARSEL-POWELL
"The way I look at this is, it gives us full authority, it will expedite this investigation so we will have the evidence in front of us that we still have yet to receive so we can make that decision but at this point we can't. My colleagues across the aisle continue to say we are wasting our time and I know that we all want this to end as quickly as possibly but I know we can't finish the investigation without being given the evidence we have requested."
She added in a separate statement, "Mueller's report recounts ten clear and unmistakable attempts by the President to attack the rule of law and obstruct the fair administration of justice. There is an undeniable pattern in the President's actions that reveals his willingness to lie to the American people, his willingness to place his own interests above those of our democracy, and his willingness to break the law for his personal gain."
"Mueller confirmed these facts in writing. During his public appearance, he reiterated one of the most important and critical lines contained in the report: "if we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the President clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state." Mueller made no such statement."
WATCH U.S. REP. DEBBIE MUCARSEL-POWELL
Mucarsel-Powell says since the release of Mueller's report, "the President has ignored multiple congressional subpoenas and asserted an abusive and illegitimate use of executive privilege. All of this in an attempt to hide information and undermine the checks and balances of our government. This President has engaged in behavior that we have not seen, nor would we have allowed, from the other 44 men who have occupied that office. This is why I support opening an impeachment inquiry into the President."
