WASHINGTON _ House Judiciary Democrats told reporters Friday that they don't need to launch a formal impeachment inquiry _ they're essentially conducting one already with their investigation into President Donald Trump.
"In effect," Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler said when asked if the panel's ongoing probe is effectively the same as an impeachment inquiry.
The only difference, the New York Democrat said, is with a formal impeachment inquiry the panel would only be considering impeachment.
"That's not what we're doing. ... We're not limited to that," Nadler said.
Despite not being limited to impeachment, Nadler and several of his fellow Judiciary Democrats confirmed during a news conference Wednesday that their investigation has reached a point where they are considering whether to draft articles of impeachment against the president.
"From my personal standpoint, I would say we're in an impeachment investigation," Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin said, noting there's no statute or House rule governing what form impeachment inquiry must take.
Rep. Eric Swalwell agreed, noting that the House efforts to impeach former Presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton took different forms.
"This is an impeachment investigation," the California Democrat said of the Judiciary Committee's current probe into Trump's alleged crimes and misdeeds.
