US Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell says the upper chamber of Congress would have “no choice| but to hold impeachment trial for President Donald Trump.
The Republican senator made the comments on Monday as Democratic-led House was engaged in an impeachment inquiry against Trump.
“I would have no choice but to take it up,” McConnell told CNBC. “Under the Senate rules, we are required to take it up if the House does go down that path. The Senate impeachment rules are very clear.”
Trump has apparently pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate Joe Biden, his potential opponent for the 2020 presidential election.
McConnell further undermined the impeachment process, suggesting that it would be too lengthy.
“How long you're on it, is a whole different matter, but I would have no choice but to take it up,” the Kentucky senator said.
Giuliani subpoenaed
As part of the effort, House Democratic leaders slapped Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani with a subpoena.
“Pursuant to the House of Representatives' impeachment inquiry, we are hereby transmitting a subpoena that compels you to produce the documents set forth in the accompanying schedule by October 15, 2019,” wrote House Intelligence Committee chairman Adam Schiff and the chairs of two other panels conducting investigations, as cited by Reuters.
The president is meanwhile trying to find the whistleblower, whose revelations lie at the heart of the impeachment proceedings.
“We're trying to find out about a whistleblower when you have a whistleblower that reports things that were incorrect,” Trump said. “The whistleblower reported a totally different statement like the statement itself was not even made, I guess statement you could say with call, I made a call. The call was perfect. When the whistleblower reported that he made it sound terrible.”
Trump has reportedly also pressed Australian Prime Minister Morrison to help investigate origins of the so-called Russia probe.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is also part of the investigation as he also took part in the July phone conversation between Trump and the Ukrainian president.