Another Republican politician is speaking out against PresidentDonald Trumpover his impeachment and acquittalin the Ukraine scandal.
Accordingto the Associated Press, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott told reporters on Thursday that he believes Trump abused the power of the presidency and should no longer be president after Trump pressured Ukraine to dig up dirt on former Vice PresidentJoe Biden, a political rival.
“I believe that the president abused his powers,” Scott, 61, said in a news conference when asked about Trump, per the AP. “It’s hard, in some respects for me, because I’m not a supporter. I didn’t vote for the president, and I don’t believe that he should be in office.”
Trump’s long-expected acquittal came after Republicans blocked the Democrats’ request to hear from key witnesses in the trial before coming to a decision, including from former National Security AdvisorJohn Bolton, who’d reportedly claimed he could corroborate the case against Trump.
“If they’d taken more testimony, maybe they’d have had more information and maybe other senators would have acted appropriately,” Gov. Scott said Thursday.
Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (left) and President Donald Trump.Cheryl Senter/AP/Shutterstock; Drew Angerer/Getty
The House of Representatives impeached Trump in mid-December after a months-long investigation found he had withheld about $400 million in military aid while pressuring Ukraine to dig up dirt on Biden and Biden’s son Hunter.
Democrats argued that Trump’s actions equated to a bribe, betraying the Constitution, and that his stonewalling of the investigation amounted to obstruction.
However, Trump maintained he did nothing wrong throughout the trial and again on Thursday.
“It was Russia, Russia, Russia — it was all b——-t,” Trump said.
But Democrats, and now a sliver of Republicans, said they were trying to carry out justice.
“I believe he abused his position of power; withholding those funds is inappropriate,” said Scott. “I believe, as Sen. Romney did, that he shouldn’t be in office.”
source: people.com
