ABC News(WASHINGTON) — Former Vice President Joe Biden, in remarks to be given shortly, is expected to call on President Trump to comply with all of Congress’ outstanding, lawful requests for information and if Trump does not comply, Congress has no choice but to impeach, a campaign aide told ABC news.
Trump on Tuesday promised to release an unredacted transcript of his phone call with Ukraine’s president that has triggered a new Democratic push for impeachment, just hours before House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was scheduled to make a major announcement on the issue.
The former vice president has hedged previously on the issue, never explicitly joining calls to remove Trump.
Biden’s upcoming comments come amid a 24-hour rapid succession of Democrats embracing impeachment. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her caucus to the brink of going forward Tuesday, with at least 160 Democrats – more than two-thirds of the caucus – now publicly supporting impeaching President Trump.
Supporters are seeking an impeachment inquiry since the recent whistleblower complaint about President Trump’s phone call with the Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky and reports he pressured the foreign leader to investigate Biden, something Trump denies although he’s said they discussed it. Those supporting impeachment include several prominent committee chairs and freshman Democrats from formerly GOP-held congressional districts that Pelosi was trying to shield from impeachment pressure if it would make them vulnerable when facing reelection.
So far, 10 Democrats presidential candidates have explicitly called for impeachment or impeachment proceedings, a list which includes: New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, California Sen. Kamala Harris, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro, Miramar, Florida Mayor Wayne Messam, Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and billionaire Tom Steyer. Warren was one of the first to call for impeachment.
South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg shifted his position Monday, going further by saying he supports “the House on taking on impeachment proceedings.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Copyright © 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.