Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), the fourth highest-ranking Democratic senator, announced this week that she supports a “formal impeachment inquiry” against President Donald Trump.
“The Mueller report is extremely serious. Obstruction of justice is extremely serious. And it’s worthy of an inquiry. Nobody is above the law. The president’s now above the law,” Stabenow told Politico in a Monday interview.
Her comments came a day after Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), the number three Democrat in the Senate, expressed support for the impeachment effort. But Stabenow maintains that she made her mind up before Murray publicly endorsed impeachment.
“If you’d asked me that two weeks ago, I’d have said the same thing,” she told Politico. “I have felt for some time, I think it’s a responsibility that we have an inquiry.”
Murray and Stabenow are now the highest-ranking Democrats in the county to support impeachment proceedings. Just 12 other Senate Democratic Caucus members, however, have expressed support for an impeachment inquiry, and six of them are running for president, Politico notes.
Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), who is up for reelection in 2020, hasn’t taken a position on an impeachment inquiry.
Stabenow elaborated on her support for beginning an impeachment inquiry when speaking with MLive on Tuesday.
“The Mueller report describes extremely serious instances of the President of the United State trying to obstruct justice,” she said. “I support the ongoing investigations in the House of Representatives and would stand with my colleagues in the House if they decide to launch a formal impeachment inquiry. No one is above the law.”
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of Battleground State News, The Ohio Star, and The Minnesota Sun. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
