Former Bush Ethics Chief Says 'It's Time' for Trump Impeachment Inquiry
*By Rebecca Heilweil*
Following Robert Mueller's [back-to-back testimonies](https://cheddar.com/media/former-special-counsel-mueller-confirms-president-trump-not-exculpated-in-russia-investigation) on Capitol Hill Wednesday, all eyes have turned to the leadership of the House of Representatives, and the question of whether Democrats will move to begin an impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump.
Those efforts have the support of a slew of progessive politicians, including presidential hopeful Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, and Rep. Ilhan Omar. Another supporter of impeachment proceedings: former Bush White House's ethics lawyer Richard Painter.
"It's time now to open a formal impeachment inquiry and demand evidence, not just on what's in the Mueller report, but \[on\] President Trump's other violations of the law and the Constitution \[including\] his receipt of emoluments of foreign governments, including the Saudi Arabian government," he told Cheddar.
Those looking for a smoking gun from Mueller's testimonies yesterday were left disappointed, as the former special counselor mostly deferred to his report that had been made public in April. He also avoided discussions of impeachment proceedings throughout the two hearings.
"If the Democrats expected him to come in and say something dramatic, or to come there and act like a movie star, that was foolish. We all knew Robert Mueller was going to be a professional prosecutor," Painter said.
But Painter had tough words for both parties.
He warned that aggressive questioning from Republicans could deter others from entering public service. "It certainly doesn't help to see Robert Mueller treated the way he was yesterday," said Painter.
On the other hand, he said, "The Democrats expect him to carry their water because they're too timid to impeach Donald Trump, or to even open an impeachment inquiry."
"The Russians interfered in an American election, and we need to deal with this now," Painter said. "We also need to pass legislation that will prevent future election meddling."
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has maintained that she will not support impeachment, despite pressure from some of her own colleagues.
Politico [reported](https://www.politico.com/story/2019/07/24/pelosi-nadler-rebuff-impeachment-mueller-hearing-1432925) that she told Rep. Jerry Nadler yesterday that drawing articles of impeachment was still premature.
Mayor Ras Baraka of Newark, NJ and Ayana Morris, co-director of the documentary 'Why Is We Americans?,' join Cheddar News to discuss the new documentary highlighting the impact of the Baraka family.
Former New York City mayor and lawyer to Donald Trump Rudy Giuliani made his singing debut on a taping of Fox’s The Masked Singer. However, Ken Jeong and Robin Thicke, two judges on the competition show, reportedly left in protest when Giuliani was unmasked upon being eliminated.
All Hands celebrates Black History Month by highlighting achievements in inclusivity and paying homage to those who have fought for equal rights. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) joins Cheddar News to discuss voter suppression; Damali Peterman, CEO of Breakthrough ADR, elaborates on the biggest barriers for Black professionals; Andre Perry, senior fellow of Brookings Institution, dives into student loans and the racial wealth divide; and lastly, BET CEO Scott Mills discusses the company's initiatives for 2022.
All month long Cheddar News is celebrating Black History Month.
In our nation’s capital, Black history is being made right now.
cheddar's own Arielle Hixon puts the spotlight on three lawmakers making that happen, Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL), Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO), and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC).
Representative Maxine Waters (D-Calif. 43rd District) joined Cheddar News to talk about the current political climate in America, including efforts to roll back voting rights in multiple states in light of Black History Month. "Why do we have to deal with those who still believe that somehow this country only belongs to the whites of the country and that somehow they have to do everything that they can to undermine our voting and do voters suppression to keep us from being influential and at the table by which to solve problems?" she asked. Waters chided "two Democrats" who she said were stymying attempts to rectify the issue and also spoke on President Biden’s promise to nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court.
Wall Street saw another volatile day after the Federal Reserve left rates unchanged for now, with plans to raise rates in March at its next meeting in order to ease inflation. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the Fed has not made decisions on the size of rate increases, adding that the Fed is not trying to get inflation below two-percent. Ken Johnson, CFA and Investment Strategy Analyst explains why Powell thinks that high inflation is a significant threat to the labor market.
Anu Gaggar, global investment strategist for Commonwealth Financial Network, joined Cheddar News to discuss how global supply chains could be disrupted even further by an armed conflict in Ukraine.
Solid-state battery maker Factorial Energy recently raised $200 million in a Series D round led by Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis. Factorial says the funding will be used to accelerate commercial production and deployment of its solid-state battery technology, which the company says is safer, and offers up to 50% more driving range than current lithium-ion technology. Factorial also has joint development agreements (announced in late 2021) with Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, and Hyundai, three of the top 10 global automotive manufacturers, to commercialize its batteries. Factorial CEO Siyu Huang joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
