Published 14:39 IST, September 28th 2019
Democrats issue subpoenas, first step towards Trump impeachment
Democrats took their first step towards impeachment investigation of President Trump as they issued subpoenas and scheduled a legal deposition for officials.
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The House Democrats took their first step towards the impeachment investigation of the United States President Donald Trump as they issued subpoenas. They demanded documents from the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and scheduled legal depositions for other State Department officials. The White House acknowledged that the phone call between President Trump and the Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, which is now the center of the impeachment inquiry had been sealed away in a classified system under the National Security Council lawyers. The House Speaker Nancy Pelosi claimed that the impeachment inquiry as a somber moment for a divided nation, further reportedly adding that it is no cause for any joy.
"Country before the party"
One of the US President's adviser reportedly claimed that the whistleblower has protection under the law to which President Trump himself appeared to question that the accuser “isn’t a whistleblower at all”. A senior administration official at the White House also confirmed on September 27 that a key detail from the whistleblower has allegedly accused the US President of abusing the power of his office. Later President Trump claimed that the whistleblower's actions and words have been “perfect” and it might be the work of “a partisan operative”. Nancy Pelosi has refused to set a deadline for the probe but has promised to act with speed and efficiency. She further added while addressing the Democrats and Republicans that she has put the country before the party.
Mueller investigation
The White House has also claimed that they will be dusting off the playbook used for the special counsel's Russia investigation. They reportedly will be turning to strategies similar to what was used during the 2016 United States elections where President Trump's associates were accused of links with the Russian officials. This was investigated by a special prosecutor Rober Muller from May 2017 to May 2019. Since mid-2016, the investigative officers reportedly kept a tab on the activities of Russian operatives and the presidential campaign members and indicated nearly 34 individuals and three companies.
(With inputs from AP)
11:33 IST, September 28th 2019