TRUMP TO GOP: ‘GET TOUGHER’
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump called on fellow Republicans on Monday to “get tougher and fight” against the quickly moving House impeachment inquiry as Democrats blocked a GOP bid to censure Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, a leader of the impeachment inquiry.
Trump, defending his conduct at a rollicking Cabinet meeting, insisted his phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that sparked the impeachment inquiry was entirely unproblematic. And he accused Democrats of proceeding with impeachment only to bolster their chances in 2020.
Trump also called out Republicans for not sticking together, pointing a finger at Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, who has emerged as his most notable GOP critic.
While blasting Democrats’ policies, Trump said he respects members of the party for sticking together.
“They don’t have Mitt Romney in their midst,” he said. “They don’t have people like that. They stick together. You never see them break off.”
Hours after Trump spoke, Democrats blocked a bid by House Republicans to censure Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and a leader of the impeachment inquiry.
Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., sponsored the resolution, which criticizes the way Schiff is conducting the investigation. Biggs and other Republicans say Schiff misled voters when he “manufactured a false retelling” of a conversation between Trump and Zelensky at a committee hearing last month. Schiff has said his words were meant as a parody.
Republicans also complained that Schiff’s office met with a whistleblower in the case and said the inquiry is being conducted in secret.
Democrats say that Schiff has acted in a fair and bipartisan manner and that redacted transcripts of the depositions will be released.
The House voted 218-185 Monday along party lines to postpone a vote on the GOP resolution. Justin Amash, a Republican-turned-independent from Michigan, voted with the Democrats.
Trump, meanwhile, said some GOP lawmakers “are great fighters. But they have to get tougher and fight because the Democrats are trying to hurt the Republican Party for the [2020] election.”
Trump slams Clinton over Gabbard
Trump on Monday attacked Hillary Clinton for suggesting Democratic presidential candidate Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is a Russian agent.
Trump says of Gabbard, “she’s not a Russian agent.”
Clinton appeared to call Gabbard “the favorite of the Russians” in a recent interview.”
Speaking during his Cabinet meeting, Trump said Clinton and other Democrats claim everyone opposed to them is a Russian agent.
He added: “These people are sick.”