Impeachment dominates opening of Democratic presidential debate
The impeachment proceedings against President Trump dominated the opening portion of Wednesday’s Democratic presidential debate, with the candidates roundly denouncing his conduct in the Ukraine scandal.
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren said Trump had “felt free to break the law again and again and again” when he tried to get Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden. Warren affirmed she was ready to vote to convict Trump and have him removed from office.
Clashes and mockery come at the end of the Democratic debate in Atlanta. Pete Buttigieg and Tulsi Gabbard face attacks and Joe Biden faces laughter.
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who backs the impeachment inquiry, said senators’ job as jurors in Trump’s likely trial “is to look at each count and make a decision.” At the same time, she said, Trump “puts his own private and partisan interests in front of our country’s interests.”
“This is a pattern with this man,” she said.
Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Ind., said Trump had clearly abused his power.
“Just to be clear, the president already confessed to it on television,” he said.
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders called Trump a “pathological liar.” California Sen. Kamala Harris, in turn, said, “We have a criminal living in the White House.”
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