South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg reflected that debate on Thursday, saying the President clearly deserves to be impeached, but he will leave the matter to the House of Representatives to decide.
"As a young Democrat, I've learned to think cautiously before offering advice to (House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi," Buttigieg said when asked at a live interview with The Washington Post whether it was time for House Democrats to begin impeachment proceedings.
Buttigieg said "it's very clear that the President deserves impeachment" but said he would leave it to the House "as to when and how" the inquiry is launched.
"I'm a 2020 candidate -- the best thing I can do about this is not a procedural issue in the House of Representatives, it's getting the nomination and beating the President," Buttigieg said, echoing previous statements about keeping his focus on beating Trump at the ballot box.
Pelosi has said she opposes impeachment, but the Democratic leader is facing growing pressure from some Democrats in the House and others to begin proceedings in the wake of special counsel Robert Mueller's report. Several 2020 candidates have called outright for impeachment proceedings against Trump, including Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
At a CNN town hall, former congressman and presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke said Congress should begin impeachment proceedings against Trump, breaking with Pelosi.
But other presidential candidates have warned of the political ramifications of a failed effort to impeach, and argue the Republican-controlled Senate is unlikely to impeach Trump.
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont on Wednesday inched closer toward supporting an impeachment effort against Trump, saying it might be time for House Democrats to begin an inquiry, but cautioned against the consequences it could bring.
Sen. Kamala Harris of California, another 2020 contender, repeated calls for Congress to begin an inquiry into whether Trump should be impeached on Wednesday on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," but said that it would likely not lead to Trump's removal from office.
Buttigieg said he agreed with Pelosi that Trump was engaging in a "cover-up" by rebuffing congressional investigations -- a comment she made Wednesday that drew outrage from the President, causing him to cut an infrastructure meeting with top congressional Democrats short. He said he refuses to work with Democrats until the investigations conclude.
"I don't even know if you can call it a cover-up if it's done in plain sight, because a cover-up is supposed to be not only hiding something but also itself hidden," Buttigieg said.
The administration has continued to rebuff congressional demands for documents and testimony, including from former White House counsel Don McGahn, who the White House directed not to testify before the House Judiciary Committee.
Buttigieg said the way to handle Trump is a kind of "crazy uncle management -- he's there, you're not going to disrespect his humanity but he ... thinks what he thinks, there's not much you can do about it."
He said the focus needs to be on the Democrats' agenda, and not on Trump. Buttigieg said Trump "devours" any energy sent his way -- "he just devours it and gets bigger."
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