Reps. Steven Horsford, Susie Lee Statement on Latest Allegations Against President Trump

Press Release

Reps. Steven Horsford (Nev.-04) and Susie Lee (Nev.-03) released the following statement in response to new allegations against President Donald Trump that suggest he withheld foreign aid to Ukraine unless Ukrainian officials investigate his political rival, Vice President Joseph Biden:

"Since our very first day in Congress, we have relentlessly committed to rising above the political and partisan bickering that have long defined Washington, D.C., and do the very thing for which we were elected: work for the people of Nevada. We championed, supported, and passed initiatives to lower health care costs, dig students out of debt, ensure that our veterans and servicemembers are treated with dignity, and fight for the hardworking families of Nevada's 3rd and 4th Congressional Districts.

"Article I of the Constitution demands Congress to carry out all necessary and appropriate oversight measures toward the Executive branch, an example being the House Judiciary Committee's anti-corruption probe against the President. Despite our past insistence that the Committee's process should play out before any action be taken, the latest allegations of the President threatening to withhold a foreign nation's aid--which was appropriated by Congress for specific purposes--as leverage to force an investigation of a political rival are an escalation that requires explicit action by this Congress. If these allegations are true, as the President has admitted, he threatened our national security and abused hundreds of millions of American taxpayer dollars.

"By law, the administration is required to turn over the whistleblower report to Congress. If the President interferes, Congress has the constitutional duty to begin impeachment proceedings and we will exercise our solemn responsibility as Members of Congress to support those proceedings.

"We were elected to fight against corruption. Now, our commitment to root out corruption has forced us to consider the most powerful tool for accountability: that of impeachment. Make no mistake, these recent allegations are certainly dire. They point to a direct abuse of power at the expense of our national security. As difficult as this moment is for the country, preserving the integrity of our government for posterity is how we can best serve the people of Nevada whom we were elected to represent. We also urge our colleagues, regardless of party, to join us in the patriotic duty to stand up for our country and the Constitution."

Source