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A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 10 OcTOber 2019

Closely watched GOP senator calls impeachment a 'mistake'

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Senate since 2003 and has
retiring Republican sena- been a voice of modera-
tor who's being closely tion on some bills, working
watched for his view on with Democrats on health
President Donald Trump's and other issues. He's a for-
potential impeachment mer governor, presidential
strengthened his stance candidate and Cabinet
against Democrats' inves- member.
tigation of the president He's also been a defender
on Sen. Lamar Alexander, of the Senate as an insti-
R-Tenn., said in a written tution, including its long-
statement that impeach- standing use of filibusters,
ing Trump "would be a mis- or procedural delays, to
take." kill legislation — despite
Just last week, Alexander Trump's desire to kill the pro-
issued a more cautious cedure.
statement. He said the Sen- Committees in the Demo-
ate Intelligence Commit- cratic-led House are also
tee was probing Trump's at- In this Sept. 24, 2019, file photo, Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., speaks on Capitol Hill in Washing- investigating Trump's effort
tempt to prod Ukraine into ton. Alexander says in a written statement that impeaching Trump would be a “mistake.” to push Ukraine to investi-
investigating former Vice Associated Press gate Biden.
President Joe Biden, a 2020 By citing the approach of
Democratic presidential makers might do. vorably toward Trump. president. Impeachment next year's election, Alex-
contender, and added, "I Republican leaders are "It's inappropriate for the has never removed a presi- ander also echoed the
want to know the facts be- eager to prevent divisions president to be talking with dent. It will only divide the argument that Senate Ma-
fore I comment." within their party in a battle foreign governments about country further." jority Leader Mitch McCo-
Alexander, 79, is respected likely to dominate Washing- investigating his political Alexander aides said he nnell, R-Ky., used in early
on both sides of the aisle. ton for months and expect- opponents, but impeach- was not available to dis- 2016.
With his four-decade politi- ed to be a major factor in ment would be a mistake," cuss his position. In an extraordinary move,
cal career winding down, next year's presidential and Alexander said. "An elec- Other GOP senators, in- McConnell refused to hold
he's been considered a congressional elections. tion, which is just around cluding Rob Portman of hearings on then-President
harbinger of what depart- On Wednesday, Alexan- the corner, is the right way Ohio, have recently said Barack Obama's nomina-
ing, moderate GOP law- der's position tilted more fa- to decide who should be Trump's actions aren't im- tion of Merrick Garland
peachable while stopping for a Supreme Court va-
short of saying he'd done cancy, arguing that No-
Pence aiming to release records nothing wrong. vember's elections were

Alexander has served in the approaching.q
of his own Ukraine calls

By ALEXANDRA JAFFE Iowa, where he addressed from Ukraine and pushed
Associated Press supporters about the presi- the country's government
WAUKEE, Iowa (AP) — Vice dent's trade policy. to investigate the son of
President Mike Pence said Pence said he "never dis- former Vice President Joe
Wednesday he is working cussed the issue of the Biden, a leading candi-
with the White House coun- Bidens" with Zelenskiy. And date in the Democratic pri-
sel's office to release tran- he again defended the mary for president.
scripts of his own calls with president, insisting that a Pence also said he stands
Ukranian President Volody- "plain reading" of the rough by his assertion during a
myr Zelenskiy. transcript of Trump's call 2016 vice presidential de-
Pence said records of his with the Ukranian leader bate that foreign govern-
two phone conversations shows "there was no quid ments shouldn't get in-
would help exonerate Pres- pro quo." volved in domestic elec-
ident Donald Trump of any The Trump administration tions. He ignored shouted
wrongdoing. came under fire after a questions noting that Trump
Pence was asked about whistleblower complaint suggested, in front of net-
releasing his transcripts and filed by a CIA officer sug- work cameras on the White
told reporters, "I'd have no gested Trump and other House lawn, that China
objection to that." He spoke administration officials should start an investiga-
after an event in Waukee, worked to withhold aid tion into the Bidens.q