Klobuchar says impeachment proceedings can begin ‘now’

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), who is running for president, declared her support Friday for the beginning of impeachment proceedings into President Trump after Trump said this week he would listen if a foreign power offered dirt on his eventual 2020 opponent. 

Several 2020 Democrats have already backed proceedings to possibly oust Trump, though prior to Friday Klobuchar had veered away from firmly backing impeachment, saying in recent weeks it is “one way to investigate and hold this administration accountable.”

{mosads}“That is a possibility right now in the House. I think right now what the House is doing that they are simply gathering information,” Klobuchar said on CNN. “They are gathering information and then they will make that decision.” 

“I would support impeachment proceedings beginning now, but I also understand that they may want to be doing investigations leading up to it and I think they should be given the time to do that.” 

“First of all, I think it’s illegal. You can’t take things of value, from a foreign country, and use them in your campaign. It is illegal.”

Sen. @AmyKlobuchar, on Trump saying he’d take dirt on political rivals as delivered by foreign entities.https://t.co/tBqRpwpiPJ pic.twitter.com/yUehEDvo28

— New Day (@NewDay) June 14, 2019

House Democrats are currently roiled in debate over impeachment, with 60 members and counting calling for proceedings while Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and her top lieutenants try to pump the brakes, saying such a move could help consolidate the president’s political base ahead of the 2020 race and would fail in the GOP-controlled Senate. 

Trump’s recent comments that he would not immediately call the FBI if another country offered him opposition research has fired up pro-impeachment Democrats and, more broadly, sparked bipartisan alarm over the prospect of foreign interference in what is likely to be a contentious election cycle. 

“It basically is saying, ‘Hey you out there in Wisconsin or in Iowa or right here in New York, you don’t have a say because we’re going to let foreign powers invade the election, either by hacking or by propaganda or by giving us dirt and tearing apart candidates,’” Klobuchar said.