The House intelligence committee chairman says regardless of what a transcript of President Donald Trump’s phone call with Ukraine’s leader says, Trump himself has said plenty to warrant an impeachment inquiry.
Trump plans to release the transcript Wednesday. On Tuesday, Trump criticized House Democrats for opening an impeachment probe without seeing the transcript of the call.
Chairman Adam Schiff told “CBS This Morning” Wednesday that “what the president has said publicly is damning enough.”
The impeachment probe focuses partly on whether Trump abused his presidential powers and sought help from Ukraine to undermine Democratic foe Joe Biden and investigate his son, Hunter Biden.
Trump has acknowledged temporarily freezing $400 million in military aid for Ukraine but denied it was leverage for information on the Bidens.
Schiff said national security is at risk “when the president would use military assistance to an ally as a cudgel.”
Schiff says there’s “no reason to wait” to see a whistleblower’s complaint or a transcript of the call between Trump and Ukraine’s president before starting the impeachment inquiry.
More must-read stories from Fortune:
—How impeachment momentum massively shifted among Democrats
—More than 160 House Democrats now support impeachment proceedings
—Trump to release full transcript of Ukraine call
—’No one is above the law.’ Nancy Pelosi announces formal impeachment inquiry
—Biden backs Trump impeachment inquiry if he obstructs Congress
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