Nancy Pelosi: Trump’s Re-Election Would Do ‘Irreparable Damage’ to United States

Appearing Wednesday on ABC News, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) signaled she is willing to move forward with impeachment even if it helps President Donald Trump win re-election in 2020.

A transcript is as follows: 

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: You were so clearly reluctant to take this step [impeachment] earlier all through the process, all through the Mueller inquiry. The two conditions you talked about were you want to have Republicans on board and the public on board. If this ends up being a party-line impeachment, is that something that is good for the country?

HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI: But, let me just say this: I never said it would be required we had Republicans, I just hoped they would follow the facts and see the truth. We don’t have a choice. We’ll either support and defend the Constitution of the United States or we won’t. And that’s where we are. I think my holding back on it only argues further for how drastic this change was with this additional set of facts.

STEPHANOPOULOS: You said that you feel you had no choice but to go forward with the impeachment inquiry, and I know no one has a crystal ball. But some Democrats had been concerned that if you go forward with impeachment, the president gets acquitted in the Senate, that will actually strengthen him in the 2020 election. If impeachment helped President Trump win in 2020, would it be worth it?

PELOSI: Let me just say this: Just because the Senate may not have the courage to recognize the president’s violation of the Constitution doesn’t mean that they’re off scot-free. We have to have a very compelling case as we go forward for the American people and for the Senate. So, again, outcomes in the election have nothing — I solemnly swear to uphold the Constitution as long as it doesn’t make a difference in the election. That’s not the oath we take.

We’re there to keep the republic, or we’re there to play politics with impeachment and that’s not what we’re doing. Facts are there. And we are proceeding to get further evidence as we go forward, and it doesn’t hinge on whether Mitch McConnell has the guts to really do what the Constitution requires or what the impact is in the election. But, I will say this: The re-election of Donald Trump would do irreparable damage to the United States.