WASHINGTON, D.C. (Nov. 22, 2019) – Public pressure is growing for Congress to expand the scope of its impeachment inquiry, according to a new poll conducted by Data for Progress. The poll found that 42 percent of American voters expressed support for a House investigation into a full range of abuses of power compared to only 9 percent of voters who would rather a narrow approach focused solely on President Trump’s unlawful dealings with Ukraine. 

While the impeachment narrative currently centers on Ukraine, this new poll also finds voters are already nearly as supportive of impeachment on other grounds entirely, such as Trump’s separation of immigrant families or his history of inciting discrimination and bigotry. In addition, voters favor impeaching and removing the president by a 49-44 margin, and also favor the current impeachment inquiry by a 49-44 margin.

“This polling clearly shows that the American voters believe Trump has committed a wide range of impeachable offenses and that the impeachment inquiry remains definitely above water,” said Sean McElwee, data scientist and co-founder of Data For Progress.

“These new poll results demonstrate that most of those supporting impeachment proceedings against Trump want Congress to hold Trump accountable not just for his bribery and extortion scheme in Ukraine, but for the full range of his impeachable offenses,” says Ben Clements, Board Chair of Free Speech For People.  “While using hundreds of millions of dollars as leverage to extort a foreign ally into aiding Trump’s reelection campaign is more than enough to support his impeachment and removal, Congress must include in its Articles of Impeachment his other egregious impeachable conduct, including his corrupt self-dealing, obstruction, racism, bigotry, incitement to violence, and subversion of the Constitution.”  

“We’re at a key point in history where House Democrats must show moral leadership by impeaching Trump for all of his abuses of power, not just Ukraine-related offenses,” said  Heidi Hess, co-director of CREDO Action. “This expanded scope will prove that Democrats have the backs of the communities Trump is terrorizing and make clear that bigotry and self-enrichment have no place in the White House. Our poll shows there is a growing public appetite to pursue all of Trump’s offenses during the impeachment process – House Democrats need to take notice and take bold action immediately.”

“Impeachment and removal are how we stop Trump’s crimes from becoming the new normal and how we move toward a government truly by and for the people. A narrow process focused solely on Ukraine signals that the rest of Trump’s violations are acceptable; while an expanded set of articles would expose and condemn the larger pattern of Trump subverting our democracy to advance his own interests,” said Anthony Torres, Political Director of By the People. “These poll results show that millions of Americans want Congress to protect our democracy from the full range of Trump’s racist and corrupt abuses of power.”

A coalition of national advocacy groups, including Free Speech For People, CREDO Action, and By The People, has released comprehensive draft articles of impeachment that cover the full range of abuses of power by President Trump. These include (1) Abuse of power to target political adversaries, critics, and the press; (2) Corruption of electoral processes, (3) Abuse of office to promote discrimination, hostility, and unlawful violence; (4) Corruption and self-enrichment – violations of the Constitution’s Emoluments Clause; (5) Obstruction of the administration of justice and Congressional inquiries; and (6) Misuse of armed forces and abuse of emergency powers.

The coalition is urging Members of Congress to endorse these draft articles, not only as a means to remove President Trump, but as a safeguard against future precedents of criminality and corruption.  

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