US House Speaker: Public opinion now on side of impeachment inquiry

This article is more than 12 months old

Sep 30, 2019 06:00 am

AUSTIN, TEXAS: US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Saturday that public opinion is now on the side of an impeachment inquiry against US President Donald Trump following the release of new information about his conversations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Mrs Pelosi this week announced her support for an investigation after news broke of a whistle-blower complaint that said Mr Trump appeared to solicit a political favour from Ukraine's leader aimed at helping him get re-elected next year.

"In the public, the tide has completely changed... after seeing the complaint and the IG (Inspector-General) report and the cavalier attitude the administration had towards it, the American people are coming to a different decision," Mrs Pelosi said.

Initially cautious, she said her resistance to holding an impeachment inquiry quickly evolved to full steam ahead as details emerged of Mr Trump's dealings with Ukraine's leader.

"A president of the United States would withhold military assistance paid for by taxpayers to shake down the leader of another country unless he did him a political favour - that is so, so clear," Mrs Pelosi said.' - AFP, REUTERS