Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Wednesday said he will send a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) indicating that Senate Republicans will not impeach President Trump over a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, saying “she can stop now.”
“They’re about to destroy the nation for no good reason,” Graham said. “And I want Nancy Pelosi to know that Republican senators are not going to impeach this president based on this transcript, so she can stop now before she destroys the country.”
Pelosi and other high-ranking House Democrats have said that they are focusing on Trump asking Zelensky to work with his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani to look into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. Trump has denied any wrongdoing.
According to a transcript released by the White House after Pelosi announced an impeachment inquiry, Trump asked his counterpart whether he “can look into” Biden’s role in the firing of a prosecutor. However, the transcript showed that Trump didn’t pressure Zelensky, and there was no evidence of quid pro quo.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) also slammed the Democrats for their attempt.
White House Letter
The White House on Tuesday also told Pelosi and three committee chairmen that it will not participate in the “highly partisan and unconstitutional” impeachment inquiry.It prompted a response from Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), a member of the House Intelligence Committee, who said that Trump administration officials could be jailed if they don’t comply with subpoenas.
“You know, a subpoena is a very serious document. It literally means under penalty if you don’t show up, there is a penalty—jailing and fines and that sort of thing,” he told CNN.