New York State Republican Chair Nick Langworthy joined Republican congressional candidate Claudia Tenney and Trump supporters in Utica Wednesday, calling on Rep. Anthony Brindisi (D-Utica) to denounce the impeachment inquiry against the president. Brindisi voted to open the impeachment inquiry last month.
Standing with a small crowd outside of Brindisi’s Utica office, Langworthy said he’s been traveling around the state, going to congressional districts represented by Democrats, who he said, have betrayed the interest of their constituents by voting for the impeachment inquiry.
“It’s a farce," Langworthy said. "It’s an absolute calamity. None of the work of the country is getting done. They’re trying to stop President Trump’s progress. Stop his agenda dead in his tracks. All for the interest of politics.”
Langworthy said Brindisi characterized himself as an independent.
"There's not an independent bone in his body," Langworthy said. "He has gone down to Washington D.C. and followed the crowd, just like we thought he would. We said he'd go, and if he were elected with Democrats in the majority, they would impeach the president. What exactly are they doing? They are trying to impeach the president."
Brindisi’s office said the congressman’s position on impeachment hasn’t changed; he wants the facts of the situation. Current or former White House officials have been testifying that President Trump pressured the president of Ukraine, and withheld U.S. aid, in exchange for the announcement of an investigation tied to Trump’s political rival, Joe Biden. But no announcement was ever made, and the aid was eventually delivered.
Tenney, who is trying to win her seat back from Brindisi, who defeated her last year, said the process of the impeachment inquiry is unfair and Republicans should get to call their own witnesses.
Brindisi's press secretary, Luke Jackson, gave the following statement.
“Congressman Brindisi is focused on working with Democrats and Republicans to get things done. Whether that’s getting a trade deal with Mexico and Canada that works for family farmers, small businesses, and workers, lowering the cost of prescription drugs, or fighting for our Veterans, Congressman Brindisi is hard at work for Upstate New York.”
