The President's Actions Threatened US Troops, Veteran on Impeachment Team Argues

The only veteran among the seven House Democrats named to press the impeachment case against President Donald Trump suggested Sunday that his role will be to argue that Trump ultimately put U.S. troops at risk by withholding military aid from Ukraine.

Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colorado, a former Army Ranger who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and left the military as a captain, said that Trump, by allegedly holding back military support for Ukraine in a scheme to discredit former Vice President Joe Biden, had jeopardized U.S. troops serving there.

Related: This Lawmaker Is the Only Veteran on the Team Arguing for Trump's Impeachment

By withholding aid, Trump was "jeopardizing our national security" and "our troops," Crow said on CNN's "State of the Union." U.S. service members have been rotating to Ukraine to train local forces to defend against Russian-backed separatists occupying the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine.

Crow, a lawyer and first-term House member whose district includes the Denver suburbs, said he was surprised to be asked by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, to serve as one of the seven "impeachment managers" who will essentially serve as the prosecution team in the Senate trial set to begin Tuesday.

Including a veteran among the impeachment managers was in line with Pelosi's intent to have a diverse team make the case against Trump, Crow said.

Crow also said he would argue for witnesses to be called to back up the two articles of impeachment alleging abuse of power and obstruction of Congress by Trump.

Trump "has said he has done nothing wrong, so let's have the people that are in the best position to confirm that come in and testify before the U.S. Senate," Crow said.

In a statement earlier this month after he was named as an impeachment manager, Crow said that "while there is no map for the challenges we face, my oath to support and defend the Constitution has guided me for years, and will continue to guide me during this trial."

"As an impeachment manager, I will approach the process with the dignity and seriousness that it deserves, and advocate for a full and fair trial," Crow added.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.

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