Trump Abused Power, Evidence Of Misconduct 'Overwhelming': House Impeachment Report

US President Donald Trump abused his power of office, a key Congressional committee from the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives has alleged in a report based on its impeachment hearings against the president. "The evidence is clear that President Trump used the power of his office to pressure Ukraine into announcing investigations into his political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, and a debunked conspiracy theory that it was Ukraine, not Russia, that interfered in the 2016 election," said chairs of the three House Committees after the release of a report on Tuesday.

Trump’s July 25 call with Ukraine’s president is at the centre of the House impeachment probe, which is looking into Trump’s pressure on Ukraine to investigate political rivals as he held back nearly USD 400 million.

The White House dismissed the report and slammed the House Democrats. 

“At the end of a one-sided sham process, Chairman Schiff and the Democrats utterly failed to produce any evidence of wrongdoing by President Trump,” White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said.

“This report reflects nothing more than their frustrations. Chairman Schiff’s report reads like the ramblings of a basement blogger straining to prove something when there is evidence of nothing,” Grisham said.

The three lawmakers alleged that evidence is clear that after his scheme to secure foreign help in his reelection was uncovered, Trump engaged in categorical and unprecedented obstruction in order to cover-up his misconduct.

“These matters are not seriously contested. To the contrary, they make it plain that President Trump abused the power of his office for personal and political gain, at the expense of our national security,” they alleged.

“The President’s actions have damaged our national security, undermined the integrity of the next election, and violated his oath of office. They have also challenged the very core of our Constitutional system of checks and balances, separation of powers, and rule of law,” the joint statement said.

According to the executive summary of the report impeachment inquiry into Trump, "uncovered a months-long effort" by him "to use the powers of his office to solicit foreign interference" on his behalf in the 2020 election.