Illinois Governor Candidates Want Donald Trump Impeached

By Stephen Gossett in News on May 18, 2017 3:53PM

In the wake of what already feels like an infamous week for the White House, several Democratic candidates for governor are officially calling for impeachment.

It's been a head-spinning several days. To recap: we saw, among other shockers, the abrupt dismissal of ex-FBI director James Comey, apparent threats made to him by the president, Trump's sharing of classified information with Russian officials, and reports that the president asked Comey to drop investigations against now-ousted national security adviser Michael T. Flynn.

It's been culmination enough for candidates J.B. Pritzker, Ald. Ameya Pawar (47th) and State Sen. Daniel Biss to drop the "I" word on Wednesday.

Pritzker, a billionaire venture capitalist, said "there are credible reports that Trump has obstructed justice in the investigation of the Russian hacking of our democracy."

He said in a statement:

"I understand that calling for impeachment is not something done lightly, but it is an action that I believe is necessary to protect our country’s national security and preserve our democracy. With the revelation, backed up by his own Tweets, that President Donald Trump may have disclosed highly classified intelligence to our Russian adversaries and compromised our allies’ ability and desire to share the most sensitive intelligence on ISIS, I feel a grave sense of urgency to get to the bottom of this threat to our democratic process and national security."

Biss was among Wednesday's chorus, as well. "Trump's reckless behavior is a clear threat to our safety and security. Draft articles of impeachment now." Biss shared a petition to start impeachment proceedings, as well.

Pawar meanwhile pithily offered, "time to impeach @POTUS," with a link to a damning catalog of recent White House developments from the Atlantic.

The other major candidate running against Gov. Bruce Rauner from the left, Chris Kennedy, stopped short on Wednesday of calling for impeachment, but he affirmed his call that Trump should go to prison if a link between the president and Russian hacking efforts in the election is proven.

Update 12:00 p.m.:
Pritzker on Thursday issued a statement calling on Rauner to speak out against Trump, also. Pritzker said:

"Yesterday, I called on Congress to begin impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump. With credible reports that President Donald Trump obstructed justice in the investigation of the Russian hacking of our democracy, I knew it was time to act. But Bruce Rauner remains silent. Rauner continues to fail this state and his refusal to speak out as Donald Trump decimates our democracy is unacceptable. The President is putting our national security at risk and undermining our rule of law. It is time for Governor Rauner to put partisanship aside and stand with Illinois families instead of Donald Trump and his hurtful agenda."