House GOP Leader Defends Trump, Says Expert 'Is Wrong' That Ukraine Call Was Improper

Brian Naylor

October 29, 2019 / 9:12 am

caption: House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy criticized the impeachment inquiry led by House Democrats.

The prepared testimony of an Army lieutenant colonel who listened in on the phone call between President Trump and the president of Ukraine last July is "wrong, " according to the top House Republican.

"Nothing in that phone call is impeachable," Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said. McCarthy said he did not question Lt. Col. Andrew Vindman's service, but said, "People have different philosophical beliefs."

In his opening statement, Vindman stated that he "did not think it was proper to demand that a foreign government investigate a U.S. citizen, and I was worried about the implications for the U.S. government's support of Ukraine."

In the call, Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter's dealings in Ukraine.

Trump was also pressing for an investigation into the 2016 election, and McCarthy said that was fine.

"The president has a right," the Republican leader said. "It's an open case. It wasn't about something in the future. It was about something that transpired."

By a 68% to 28% margin, though, Americans said it is not acceptable for a president to ask a foreign country's leader to help investigate a potential political opponent, according to the latest NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll.

McCarthy also criticized the impeachment inquiry led by House Democrats, as Republicans indicated they are likely to vote to oppose a resolution Thursday that will outline the next steps in the process. Republicans and President Trump have contended the process is flawed and stacked against Trump.

"You can't put the genie back in the bottle," McCarthy said. "Due process starts from the beginning."

In a tweet, Trump contended that his polls show the impeachment inquiry will lead to the loss of "many seats in 2020."

But public polls indicate a majority of Americans support the probe, almost two dozen incumbent Republicans have announced they will not run for reelection and GOP allies are voicing concern that 2020 could be a wipeout for Republicans.

The GOP conference chair, Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., said Democrats are "attempting to put a cloak of legitimacy around this process. It won't work."

Cheney also spoke out against some GOP critics who have questioned the patriotism of Vindman, a Purple Heart recipient who was born in Ukraine, and others who have testified.