Pelosi: 'Voters Are Not Going to Decide' Trump's Impeachment - WATCH
Democratic House speaker dismisses the idea that American public will have a say
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Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has dismissed suggestions that the American public should have a say over the impeachment of President Donald Trump, declaring, "the voters are NOT going to decide."
Pelosi was asked during her Thursday press conference whether it should be left to the American people to decide in November 2020 whether President Trump should stay in office.
Pelosi responded by insisting that election issues are for voters, and impeachment is for lawmakers.
"The voters are not going to decide whether we honor our oath of office," Pelosi said.
Speaker Pelosi added that the Democrats' push to impeach their president is not about politics, it's about "patriotism."
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Pelosi told members of the press:
"I keep saying to people, impeachment is about the truth and the Constitution of the United States.
"Any other issues that you have -- disapproving of the way the president has dealt with Syria; whatever the subject is -- reluctance, the cowardice to do something about gun violence; the cruelty of not wanting to help our Dreamers and transgender people; the denial about the climate crisis that we face -- the list goes on. That's about the election.
"That has nothing to do with what is happening in terms of our oath of office to protect and defend the Constitution and the facts that might support -- and we don't know where this path will take us, or could take us, but it might take us down further path [garble not added].
"But the two are completely separate."
Speaker Nancy Pelosi says "impeachment is about the truth and the Constitution of the United States" and "has nothing to do" with the 2020 election.
— ABC News (@ABC) October 17, 2019
"The voters are not going to decide whether we honor our oath of office." https://t.co/hKgyYUhgkT pic.twitter.com/IVmFbXtTMJ
The reporter followed up, asking Pelosi at what point she might let voters decide?
"The voters are not going to decide whether we honor our oath of office," Pelosi insisted.
"They already decided that in the last election."
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Pelosi said she doesn't have a timeframe for possible impeachment, but "the timeline will depend on the truth line."
She said again that impeachment is not about politics, it's about "patriotism."
Speaking about anti-Trump Democrat Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Pelosi said she's "very proud" of the way he's proceeding with the House Intelligence Committee's impeachment inquiry.
