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A6 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 2 November 2019
AP-NORC poll: More support than oppose impeachment probe

By HANNAH FINGERHUT ing time and money trying
and JILL COLVIN to take down Trump when
Associated Press there are far more impor-
WASHINGTON (AP) — More tant things they should be
Americans approve of the doing for the country.
impeachment investiga- "I mean come on!" she said.
tion into President Donald "There's nothing there. ... He
Trump than disapprove of didn't do anything wrong."
it, though only about a third That's a sentiment shared
say the inquiry should be a by a majority, 64%, of Re-
top priority for Congress, publicans. Yet even among
according to a new poll members of Trump's party,
from The Associated Press- a modest share think he
NORC Center for Public Af- did do something wrong.
fairs Research. About a quarter, 28%, think
That solid, if measured, he did something unethi-
support serves as a warn- cal, while 8% think he broke
ing sign for Trump's White the law. The public overall
House and reelection cam- has mixed views of whether
paign, which have insisted the president committed
that pursuing impeach- any wrongdoing. Most say
ment will end up being a his interactions with the
vulnerability for Democrats president of Ukraine were
heading into 2020. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., second from right, speaks during at least unethical. That in-
a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019. Schiff is joined by, from
But the findings present left, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., House Oversight and Govern- cludes about 4 in 10 who
some red flags for Demo- ment Reform Committee acting chair Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., House Democratic Caucus Chair- think he did something ille-
crats, too: More people say man Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel, D-N.Y. gal. About another 3 in 10
House members are mo- Associated Press think what he did was un-
tivated mainly by politics the House is acting mainly "I am really concerned they'd stop worrying about ethical but not illegal.
rather than by duty as they on a political motivation about our country if this getting reelected them- Trump has insisted he did
investigate the Republican to challenge Trump's presi- does not stop," she said of selves and get down to the nothing wrong.
president's dealings with dency. That compares with Trump's time in office. business they're supposed But nearly all Democrats
Ukraine and whether he fewer, 43%, who say it's act- She voiced concerns that to be doing. ... We pay think the president crossed
abused his office or com- ing more in good faith on its Trump doesn't have the them to do this job." a line, including roughly 7
promised national security responsibility to investigate temperament to be the "They should have done in 10 who say that he broke
when he tried to pressure the executive branch. nation's commander in it a long time, a way long the law.
the country to dig up dirt Like most assessments of chief and is doing serious time ago," agreed Monica Still, not all Democrats think
on a political rival. Trump and Washington, damage to the country's Galindo, 32, who lives in the inquiry should be Con-
And assessments of the views of impeachment are standing. Camilla, Georgia. gress' top priority. A quarter
president's performance starkly polarized. She was relieved, she said, It's another story among think it should be an impor-
generally have remained A vast majority of Demo- that after months of hem- Republicans, who over- tant but lower priority, and
remarkably stable even as crats approve of the in- ming and hawing, im- whelmingly disapprove of 1 in 10 say it should not be
the investigation has un- quiry, including 68% who peachment proceedings the inquiry, including 67% an important priority at all.
folded at a rapid clip. strongly approve. were finally underway. who do so strongly. And while most Democrats
Overall, 47% said they sup- Among them is Sandra "I was getting very frustrat- "I think its garbage," said support the inquiry, 27%
port the impeachment Shrewsbury, 70, who lives in ed with Congress and those Sara Palmer, 42, a staunch think the House is acting
inquiry, while 38% disap- Greencastle, Indiana. She investigating because I felt Trump supporter who lives in mainly on political motiva-
prove. said that Trump's impeach- like they were just dragging Pocatello, Idaho, and ac- tion to challenge Trump's
Still, 53% of Americans think ment is long overdue. their heels," she said. "I wish cused Democrats of wast- presidency.q

Oklahoma parole board OKs

largest-ever U.S. mass commutation

said his office would pro- ing with Oklahomans to Releasing the inmates will
cess the recommenda- pursue bold change that save Oklahoma an esti-
tions for final approval. will offer our fellow citizens mated $11.9 million over
The board considered 814 a second chance while the cost of continuing to
cases and recommended also keeping our commu- keep them behind bars,
527 inmates for commu- nities and streets safe," Stitt according to the gover-
tation. However, 65 are said in a statement. nor's office.
In this Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019, file photo, Oklahoma Gov. being held on detainers, Voters approved a state Pardon and Parole board
Kevin Stitt speaks at the Cox Business Center in Tulsa, Okla. leaving 462 inmates to be question in 2016 that head Steve Bickley says
Associated Press released on Monday. made simple drug posses- the mass release is the
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — day mass commutation in "This event is another mark sion and low-level prop- most on one day since
Oklahoma will release U.S. history. on our historic timeline erty crimes misdemeanors former President Barack
more than 400 inmates af- The Oklahoma Pardon and as we move the needle instead of felonies. Stitt Obama commuted the
ter a state panel on Friday Parole Board unanimously in criminal justice reform, signed a bill earlier this drug sentences of 330 fed-
approved what officials approved the commuta- and my administration re- year that applied those eral prisoners on his last
say is the largest single- tions, and Gov. Kevin Stitt mains committed to work- sentences retroactively. day in office.q