Pelosi tells Dems she wants to see Trump "in prison"

President Nancy Pelosi told senior Democratic officials that she would like to see President Donald Trump "in jail" while she was running into House of Representatives President Jerry Nadler, at a time when he was "in jail". a meeting Tuesday night on the opportunity to initiate a dismissal procedure.

Pelosi met Nadler (D-N.Y.) And several other well-known Democrats who are conducting aggressive investigations against the president, according to several sources. Nadler and other committee leaders have been involved in a behind-the-scenes battle for weeks on the property of the Trump Democrats' vast inquiry.

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Nadler has asked Pelosi to allow his committee to launch an impeachment investigation against Trump – the second such request he has made in recent weeks must be rejected only by the California Democrat and other leaders. Pelosi has stood firm, reiterating that she is not open to the idea of ​​dismissing Trump for the time being.

"I do not want to see him charged, I want to see him in jail," Pelosi said, according to several Democratic sources aware of the meeting. In lieu of an indictment, Pelosi still prefers to see Trump beaten at the polls, then prosecuted for his alleged crimes, sources said.

They said she expressed solidarity with Democrats in favor of destitution who want to empower the president while questioning the idea that it is now time to move on to action. Pelosi has long argued that certain conditions had to be met before the Democrats began to be deposed – strong public support and bipartisan support, which have never materialized so far.

Other Democrats said that Pelosi's comment was not so surprising given his previous criticism of the president, including that Trump "is engaged in a camouflage operation", according to which his staff and his family should organize an intervention and that the actions of the president are "the Constitution of the United States".

Ashley Etienne, a spokeswoman for Pelosi, said that Pelosi and the presidents "had a productive meeting on the status of the Mueller report.They agreed to keep all options on the table and to continue adopting a bold auditory and legislative strategy as early as next week, to address the President's corruption and the abuse of power brought to light in the report. "

Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chair of the House Intelligence Committee, Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), Chair of the Oversight Committee, Richard Neal (D-Mass.), Chair of the Committee on Ways and Means, and Eliot Engel (DN.Y.), Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee. ) were also present at the meeting. Financial Services Committee Chair Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) – a vocal dismissal advocate whose panel examines Trump's finances – was not present.

At Tuesday's meeting, some committee chairs expressed their frustration at the appearance that, according to a source close to the meeting, members of the base – rather than party leaders – were directing the monitoring strategy of the meeting. caucuses, including what they did about impeachment.

But not all committee leaders were in favor of the imputation inquiry. Schiff and Neal both claimed that if the Democrats were to open an investigation, they should also be ready to attack Trump, which the caucus is not ready to do, they said. Cummings also sided with Pelosi, according to a source.

Neal also murmured about Democrats who voted in favor of the impeachment, saying it puts pressure on members of congressional border districts to explain why they do not feel the same way. House Committee Chair Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) – whose district is touching Neal – pled for dismissal last week.

This meeting is just the latest example of the impeachment debate that is of concern to the Democratic caucus. Some members of the base, as well as committee leaders such as Nadler, who are not satisfied with the current strategy, continue to put pressure on Pelosi.

The gap between Nadler and Pelosi was completely exposed on Wednesday as the New York Democrat dodged the questions of whether he was in agreement with Pelosi on the democrats' dismissal strategy.

"Frankly, we're investigating all the things we're going to investigate as part of an indictment investigation," Nadler told CNN. He then paused for a few seconds when he was asked if Pelosi and he were "on the same page".

"When this decision has to be made, it will not be made by anyone but by the caucus as a whole," added Nadler. "Nancy will certainly have the biggest voice."

Meanwhile, Pelosi is trying to publicly project the unit by going so far as to declare Wednesday with defiance that there is "no controversy" within the impeachment caucus.

"Make no mistake, we know exactly where we are headed. We know exactly what actions we need to take, "Pelosi told reporters earlier Wednesday, hitting his palm on the podium for more emphasis.

In fact, the speaker and her senior lieutenants tried to quell a rebellion in the caucus, with nearly 60 members having publicly declared that they wanted to start charging Trump.

Meanwhile, Trump has continued to block all Democrats' attempts to investigate his administration, his personal finances and his charges of obstruction of justice, as described by the special advocate Robert Mueller.

Party leaders have tried to ease some of the pressure by engaging in more aggressive public action against the White House's repeated challenge, including scheduling a contempt vote next week against Attorney General William Barr and the United States. Former White House lawyer, Don McGahn.

And Democratic leaders continue to emphasize that their process of methodical and progressive monitoring works, highlighting the recent victories won by the federal courts by Democrats against Trump's efforts to block them. Nadler is also seeking Mueller's testimony before his committee.

But for a growing number of Democrats, including several members of the Judiciary Committee, the initiation of impeachment proceedings is the only recourse.

Representatives David Cicilline (DR.I.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) And Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), All members of the Democrats and Judiciary leadership, first spoke about 39th idea of ​​launching a dismissal investigation during a private leadership meeting at the end of last month before being shot by Pelosi.

Pelosi, House Majority Leader, Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (DS.C.) And other Democrats met Nadler separately that night while he had again tried unsuccessfully to open an impeachment investigation.

Nadler, Raskin and other lawmakers said opening an investigation did not necessarily lead to impeachment and would strengthen their case, as the Democrats would sue Trump in court to force him to comply with their investigations. But other Democrats argue that the public would not understand the difference between an investigation and an actual indictment, which would further blur the party's message before the elections.

Pelosi repeatedly reiterated that she did not think that trying to dismiss Trump was worth it, arguing that, without the public on his side, the best way to beat the president is to convince voters to send him back from its functions in 2020 Other reputed Democrats are worried that the continuation of destitution will depreciate their legislative agenda and strengthen the Republican base, possibly costing them in the House next year and ensuring the reelection of Trump.

"I do not feel any pressure," Pelosi told reporters on Wednesday.