National

Coons, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released a statement Dec. 3 on the release of the House Intelligence Committee report on the impeachment inquiry. “During two weeks of testimony before the House Intelligence Committee, career diplomats, decorated veterans and President Trump’s own appointees all presented a consistent, straightforward set of facts: the president clearly, intentionally abused his power to pressure Ukraine to investigate his political opponent — and he used foreign aid money as a bribe to do it,” said Coons. “The hearings made clear that this wasn’t ‘just a phone call,’” said Coons. “It was an organized, coordinated campaign by the president and his inner circle to pressure Ukraine into helping him win reelection, all while undermining U.S. national security in the process.” “The question now is how Congress will respond,” said Coons. “This isn’t business as usual, and it is profoundly dangerous for any of us to pretend otherwise. It is my hope that my colleagues from both sides of the aisle in the Senate will take a moment and think about what role they want to play at this moment in our country’s history. I hope the Senate will put fidelity to the country and the Constitution over loyalty to the president, consider the facts, and treat this inquiry with the seriousness it deserves.”