Nadler pushes back on suggestion Democrats have failed their own ‘test’ on impeachment

House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) on Sunday pushed back on the suggestion that Democrats have failed their own “test” on impeachment by not gaining enough support from Republicans.

ABC’s George Stephanopoulos asked Nadler on “This Week”  if he thinks the lack of Republican support for President Trump’s impeachment goes against the chairman’s previously suggested requirements for the House to move forward with it.

“This is a continuing threat to the integrity of our elections now,” Nadler replied. “This is not a one-off — impeachment is not a punishment for past behavior.”

“He poses a continuing threat to our national security and to the integrity of our elections, to our Democratic system itself,” Nadler added. “We cannot permit that to continue.”

.@GStephanopoulos “Republican voters overwhelmingly oppose impeachment…Haven’t you failed your own test?”

“I don’t think so,” Judiciary Committee Chair Jerry Nadler says, adding that Pres. Trump “poses a continuing threat to our national security.” https://t.co/P6iz1j1VA4 pic.twitter.com/LpQbzTBR23

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) December 15, 2019

Stephanopoulos was referencing Nadler’s comments in March, when the New York Democrat said that the House could not appear to “reverse the results of the last election” through impeachment.

{mosads}“Before you impeach somebody, you have to persuade the American public that it ought to happen,” he said at the time. “You have to persuade enough of the opposition party voters, Trump voters.”

The Judiciary Committee that Nadler leads voted last week along party lines to move impeachment onto the House floor. A full vote by the House is expected this week. 

Republicans have overwhelmingly opposed impeachment in polls since the House inquiry into Trump’s dealings with Ukraine was announced in September.