Kasich warns Democrats on impeachment: ‘It’s not a light matter’

Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) warned Democrats on Friday that impeachment should not be taken lightly and said Democrats risked undercutting the power of impeachment by using it against President Trump.

Speaking to CNN, Kasich questioned whether “one phone call” made by the president to Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky merited impeachment hearings.

{mosads}”It’s a terrible situation in terms of that transcript [of Trump’s call with Zelensky,] Alisyn, but the question is, does one phone call at this point in time lead to impeachment?” Kasich said to CNN’s Alisyn Camerota.

“This is not a light matter. If all of a sudden everybody can be impeached, then it has no power,” Kasich added, remarking that “nobody” had come up to him about the issue since he had returned to Ohio.

“Does one phone call at this point in time lead to impeachment?” Former Ohio Gov. @JohnKasich says Congress might be moving too fast toward impeachment.
“This is not a light matter. If all of a sudden everybody can be impeached, then it has no power.”https://t.co/9s724fd2g4 pic.twitter.com/YU74SSo9m2

— New Day (@NewDay) September 27, 2019

Kasich added in the interview that Trump’s phone call with Zelensky, during which he pressed the Ukrainian leader to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden over alleged interference on behalf of his son’s dealings in the country, was an example of Trump’s poor judgment, though he would not say that Trump should face consequences over the call.

The 2016 Republican presidential primary contender’s remarks come as some Republicans including Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) have cautioned members of their own party not to rush to defend the president, while most members of the GOP including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) remain firmly behind Trump.

Democrats announced Tuesday that the House Judiciary Committee would move forward with an impeachment investigation, with Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) calling such proceedings necessary to rein in a president she said was flouting the legal system.