Trump just 'created another article of impeachment': Intel Democrat rips China solicitation

On Thursday's edition of MSNBC's "The Beat," Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA), a member of the House Intelligence Committee, excoriated President Donald Trump for calling on China to dig up dirt on former Vice President Joe Biden in his conversation with reporters on the South Lawn.

"This is a very sober time, and we have a very solemn responsibility to pursue this impeachment inquiry," said Speier. "This is not a reality TV show, and unfortunately that’s what the president is attempting to play out here."

"I think his actions today created another article of impeachment," Speier added. "We have to remind ourselves that China is one of our greatest adversaries, and he is linking negotiating a deal on tariffs with whether or not they come up with some dirt on Biden. So it doesn’t take a lawyer to figure out that this is an effort by the president to, once again, normalize, as many of your other speakers have said, normalize something that is truly wrong."

"Let me ask you this, Congresswoman," said anchor Ari Melber. "You’re saying this new request is an article of impeachment. Many of your colleagues are on record supporting Ukraine as an article of impeachment. And the Mueller report, just the five core influences that were described as obstruction of justice by the president, that would be a third. Are you up to three and counting?"

"I’m not going to count," said Speier. "I’m going to do what my job is, which is to interview all the individuals we are seeking information from, provide — have all of the documents provided to us by Giuliani and others. And make the case, if there is a case to be made, that we should move forward with articles of impeachment. Let’s remember what Mike Pence said in 2016: This is basic stuff. You do not solicit a foreign person or a foreign government to solicit them for campaign information, and that’s precisely what President Trump has done in Ukraine and what he’s seeking to do now with China."

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