GOP rep on impeachment: ‘I think the evidence is crumbling’

Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Utah), a member of the House Intelligence Committee, said on Sunday that he thinks the evidence for impeaching President Trump “is crumbling” after the first week of public hearings. 

“This Week” host George Stephanopoulos said to Stewart on ABC that the evidence of a White House effort to influence Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden by withholding military aid is “building,” referencing private testimony from State Department aide David Holmes and former National Security Council official Tim Morrison.

“It’s tied directly now to President Trump, isn’t it?” Stephanopoulos asked.

“I disagree with you, George,” Stewart replied. “I don’t think the evidence is building at all, and I’m being sincere in this. I think the evidence is crumbling.”

GOP Rep. Chris Stewart disagrees on mounting evidence suggesting a trade of military aid for investigations with Ukraine: “I don’t think the evidence is building at all–and I’m being sincere on this–I think the evidence is crumbling.” https://t.co/zflbfadCRH pic.twitter.com/ClTsHvwi1i

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) November 17, 2019

The Utah representative also condemned Democrats for “goal post moving” by changing the focus of their impeachment inquiry from a quid pro quo to bribery.

Stewart noted that former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch did not offer any evidence on Friday when he asked her during a public hearing if Trump committed bribery or criminal acts.

{mosads}“I think the longer these [hearings go] on, I think the less the American people are going to support impeachment because I think that the evidence just doesn’t support it,” Stewart said. 

Holmes reportedly testified that he overheard a conversation between Trump and Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland about the Ukrainian pressure campaign. 

Morrison, meanwhile, told lawmakers that Sondland pushed Ukraine, on behalf of Trump, to launch two investigations that could help the president politically, according to a transcript release Saturday by House Democrats.