WASHINGTON (Nexstar) — Lawmakers on Capitol Hill met with key officials again on Friday as part of their impeachment investigation into President Trump. Democrats obtained and released a series of texts they say prove wrongdoing by the president.
The Inspector General of the Intelligence Community met with lawmakers and staff behind closed doors Friday. After the meeting, some Republicans said too much is being made of Trump asking the Ukrainian president for a “favor.”
“It comes down to one sentence in one phone call,” said Rep. Chris Stewart of Utah.
For his part, Trump continues to defend his call for foreign countries to investigate the Bidens. “We’re investigating corruption. We’re not investigating campaigns.”
In one of the text exchanges released late Thursday, former Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor said: “I think it’s crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign.”
Then Gordon Sondland, the US Ambassador to the EU, responds: “Bill, I believe you are incorrect about the President’s intentions. The President has been crystal clear — no quid pro quo’s of any kind.”
Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, criticized Trump’s invitation for China and Ukraine to investigate the Bidens.
“It endangers our elections and endangers our national security,” Schiff said. “It ought to be condemned by every member of this body.”
Mitt Romney, the 2012 GOP presidential nominee and currently a US senator from Utah, agreed with Schiff on Twitter.
“By all appearances, the President’s brazen and unprecedented appeal to China and to Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden is wrong and appalling.”