Trump pushes back on impeachment talk: ‘Tables are finally turning on the Witch Hunt!’

President Trump on Monday pushed back on the prospect of Democrats launching impeachment proceedings against him, asserting that he did not commit a crime to reach the threshold of “high crimes and misdemeanors.”

“Only high crimes and misdemeanors can lead to impeachment,” Trump tweeted. “There were no crimes by me (No Collusion, No Obstruction), so you can’t impeach. It was the Democrats that committed the crimes, not your Republican President! Tables are finally turning on the Witch Hunt!”

Only high crimes and misdemeanors can lead to impeachment. There were no crimes by me (No Collusion, No Obstruction), so you can’t impeach. It was the Democrats that committed the crimes, not your Republican President! Tables are finally turning on the Witch Hunt!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 22, 2019

It marked the second time in as many days Trump has aimed to defuse discussion of impeachment as Democrats weigh whether to undertake such proceedings after the conclusion of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.

The special counsel said in a redacted report, released last week, that the nearly two-year probe did not establish that Trump colluded with the Russian government.

{mosads}Mueller neither exonerated nor implicated the president on obstruction of justice, but said Congress has the authority to conduct its own investigation on the subject. The special counsel reviewed 10 incidents for possible obstruction.

Democrats have seized on the Mueller report’s findings to raise additional doubts about Trump’s presidency. Multiple committee chairmen have left open the possibility that the party would pursue impeachment, though they acknowledged such an effort would likely be unsuccessful.

“I’m not there yet, but I can foresee that possibly coming,” House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) said Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “But, again, the fact is is that I think we have to be very careful here.”

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) said Sunday that some of Trump’s actions detailed in Mueller’s report, such as potential obstruction of justice, “would be impeachable” if proven. Nadler’s committee would oversee the early stages of any impeachment proceedings.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who is running for president, said Friday that the House should initiate impeachment proceedings, citing Mueller’s report.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has expressed reluctance to back impeachment hearings unless there is bipartisan support for moving forward. That appears increasingly unlikely, as Republicans have said the Mueller report vindicates Trump.

House Democrats are scheduled to hold a conference call Monday to discuss the party’s next steps. Lawmakers have already called on Mueller and Attorney General William Barr to testify.

Congressional Democrats previously launched a number of House investigations looking into the Trump administration. The Judiciary Committee is conducting a probe looking at potential obstruction of justice, public corruption and abuses of power.

Updated at 10:23 a.m.