WASHINGTON – The memo recalling the phone call between President Trump and the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy seems to indicate the president prodded the foreign leader for information on a political rival.
Republicans have dismissed the call as “nothing,” maintaining the conversation between the two leaders doesn’t bring any grounds for impeachment and does not show quid-pro-quo.
But Democrats thinks the president was pushing the leader for information to be used for his own political gain.
“This is absolutely a big deal,” said Congresswoman Norma Torres, who represents parts of the Inland Empire.
The call summary is just five pages, which Congresswoman Torres says equates to about 11 minutes of a 30-minute phone call between Trump and the then, new leader of Ukraine.
“Proof that President Trump engaged the leader in Ukraine on getting assistance to gather information on a political opponent,” said Torres.
The summary of the conversation shows the president asked for a “favor” after raising allegations that Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden sought to interfere with a Ukrainian prosecutor’s investigation into Biden’s son, Hunter.
He asked for the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy to look into the matter, to which Zelenskiy agreed.
“It is a violation of our laws. It is a violation of the rule of law and it is in violation of our democracy,” said Torres. “Members of Congress and the U.S. Senate have a responsibility to uphold the Constitution.”
There are reports that reveal the president had withheld aid to Ukraine just days before. But the conversation does not show a link or whether Zelenskiy knew about the freeze.
But on the House floor, Congressman Eric Swalwell said just because it’s not clear in the conversation doesn’t mean it’s not there.
“Ukraine depends on the U.S. economically, militarily, and the credibility we afforded them when we supported them,” said Swalwell. "So you don’t need to be explicit to them when you tell them that you need a favor. And you’re withholding military funds. In this case, the whistleblower did everything right.”
The release comes the morning after Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for a formal impeachment inquiry. President Trump calls the whole situation a ‘witch hunt’ and said the Speaker was ‘lost’.
"She's lost her way, she's been taken over by the radical left. And she may be radical left herself, but she really has lost her way,” said Trump.
Torres said she is ready to stand up and do what she believes her district expects of her.
“They expect me to stand up for democracy,” said Torres. “They expect me to stand up for our Constitution and that is our job and as members of Congress we should not allow the Senate to dictate on how we are going to conduct our business here in the House of Representatives.”
The whistleblower’s complaint is now public.