Rep. Brad Schneider latest Democrat to call for Trump impeachment inquiry

WASHINGTON — Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., became the latest House Democrat to call for a formal impeachment inquiry, saying in a statement released Thursday it is the only way to hold President Donald Trump “accountable for his actions.”

Schneider said he came to the conclusion a formal impeachment inquiry was needed because he no longer believed ongoing oversight and investigative efforts are enough.

“I previously believed that Congress’s oversight and investigative efforts — through hearings, subpoenas, and lawsuits — were the appropriate vehicle to uncover the truth. Regrettably, it is clear that the Administration has little regard for the Constitution, is unwilling to provide any information to Congress, and is seeking to play out the clock,” Schneider said in a statement.

On Monday, freshman Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Ill., said she supported the work of the House Judiciary Committee, which she called “essentially” an impeachment inquiry.

Of the 13 Illinois House Democrats in Congress only four as of Thursday are not backing an impeachment inquiry: Rep. Cheri Bustos, a part of House leadership as the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and Reps. Bill Foster, Dan Lipinski and Raja Krishnamoorthi.

“After months of relentless stonewalling by the Trump administration, I believe it is necessary to elevate the various Congressional investigations of the President to a formal impeachment inquiry as the only way to ensure the American people have a comprehensive understanding of the facts uncovered by Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation and hold the President accountable for his actions,” Schneider said.

“Since the start of the Mueller investigation, I have been committed to following the facts wherever they lead. In his report, the Special Counsel made clear that then candidate Trump, and the Trump campaign, eagerly welcomed foreign interference in our election. The Special Counsel also lays out that President Trump subsequently acted on numerous occasions to block and obstruct the investigation into what occurred.”