Nadler: "There is certainly" a justification for the removal of Trump

The House Judiciary Committee Chairman, Jerry Nadler, said on Friday that it was "certainly" justified to initiate impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump, but warned that the public must first accept that it was justified.

"The dismissal is a political act, and you can not dismiss a president if the American people will not support it," said Nadler (D-N.Y.) During an appearance on WNYC. "The Americans do not support it at the moment because they do not know the story. They do not know the facts. We must establish the facts. We must hold a series of hearings, we must conduct investigations. "

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Nadler has signaled his intention to take advantage of the coming weeks to give substance to the report of special advocate Robert Mueller, providing viewers with the dramatic evidence that Mueller has compiled on Trump's efforts to thwart the investigation into the law. Russia's interference in the 2016 election. Nadler said that would be part of Mueller's own testimony, even though Mueller himself promises to limit his comments to the conclusions of his report.

Nadler said that revealing Mueller's words and conclusions to a television audience would inform Americans of the president's conduct in a way they had not seen before.

"Part of the function of Congress, just like the Watergate hearings 40 years ago, [is] dialogue with the American people so that people can make informed decisions and know what's going on, "he said. Nadler added, "It is very important for him, in front of a television audience and for the American people, to say it and answer questions about it, even if there is no new information."

President Nancy Pelosi has so far firmly resisted the Democrats' increasingly pressing calls to initiate impeachment proceedings against Trump, fearing that such moves would endanger vulnerable Democrats in the House and arguing that House was to continue to investigate Trump.

However, 11 of the 24 Democrats on the Nadler Judiciary Committee – which has jurisdiction over impeachment – have already asked the Democrats to bring a lawsuit to dismiss the president, and that number has risen sharply in recent weeks. Nadler said he was planning to talk with them and other Democrats next week to determine whether a dismissal investigation would be a proper step.

Nadler's comments also testify to his colleagues' deep frustration at the fact that the White House opposes a myriad of Democrat-led investigations into Trump's actions and personal finances, to the point to slow them down – a fact that has prevented pro-Trump Democrats from closing its doors when the 2020 presidential campaign runs at full speed.

But Nadler said there may be a reason to demand Trump's dismissal in 2020, even with the current presidential election.

"There might still be a point. That is to say to the future presidents that you can not do that, defend the Constitution and say that some things can not be done, "he said, adding," Even in these circumstances, the implementation of the accusation may well be worth it. "

Nadler also said he thought Mueller could have declared whether Trump had obstructed justice – despite the fact that Mueller relied on the long-standing Justice Department policy of banning impeachment. a president in office.

"I think he could have accused her anyway," Nadler said. But, he added, "this is his interpretation of his duty of ethics under the directives of the Department of Justice".

Mueller also said that he thought it would have been unfair to accuse Trump of a crime if the president could not defend himself in court. Instead, Mueller said that "the Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a president of wrongdoing" – a reference to dismissal.