House Speaker Nancy Pelosi agreed with Democratic leaders to halt a House vote that will officially authorize an impeachment probe into U.S. President Donald Trump. On the other hand, Democrat sources said the decision to hold off a vote may be reconsidered.
Multiple government aides and lawmakers told Politico late Tuesday that the impeachment inquiry has faced continued opposition from some leadership members. Despite the opposition, Pelosi made it clear that the House takes the issue seriously.
"We're here to find the truth, to uphold the Constitution of the United States," she said during a media briefing on Tuesday. House leaders who support the call for an impeachment inquiry echoed Pelosi's hard-line stance.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) reiterated that the inquiry into Trump's potential abuse of power "is consistent with the Constitution and the law," adding that "Republican rules" are being observed in the process.
As expected, Republicans rallied behind Trump ever since the probe was announced. They referred to the inquiry as illegitimate and lacking in evidence and legal processes for the probe to push through.
Top House Republican and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) questioned the "integrity" of the Trump impeachment probe. McCarthy argued that the issue on some committee chairs trying to "limit minority participation" in the inquiry is questionable.
Despite the decision to hold off a House vote on the impeachment probe, Democrats continue to work on what they started. Another witness came before three House committees on Tuesday.
According to The Guardian, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, George Kent, revealed emails that sought to express his concerns about how the Trump administration tried to intervene with the Ukrainian leadership.
Trump, for his part, has called for more transparency regarding the ongoing inquiries. His criticism of the probe came as the world awaits the release of evidence compiled by the Democratic party.
Some political analysts noted that major secrets and evidence of Trump's Ukraine intervention may be kept in closed doors and will most likely be unveiled before the public at a time when confidence in the current White House administration wavers further.
The impeachment inquiry was spearheaded by House Democrats after it was revealed that Trump may have overstepped on his authority by requesting that Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky "look into" 2020 presidential hopeful Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden.
The ongoing heat on Capitol Hill is expected to play a key role in the fourth Democratic debate and could also have an impact on Biden's bid. On the other hand, most eyes are on Trump, as he tries to trump over the latest issues that could endanger another term.
