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Yarmuth: It’s On McConnell to Save Democracy

Compared firing of Comey to his days as a Watergate staffer

Rep. John Yarmuth, D-Ky., speaks with a reporter at the Senate subway on Tuesday, July 21, 2015. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call file photo)
Rep. John Yarmuth, D-Ky., speaks with a reporter at the Senate subway on Tuesday, July 21, 2015. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call file photo)

Democratic Rep. John Yarmuth said it’s on fellow Kentuckian Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to prevent a constitutional crisis.

Yarmuth compared President Donald Trump’s firing of FBI Director James B. Comey to his time as a Washington staffer during the Watergate scandal that led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon.

“Yes, the circumstances and the facts are a little bit different but the same forces were at play where you have a president using his power to try and block an investigation into him,” Yarmuth told Louisville TV station WHAS. “And so I think we’re actually pretty close to considering impeachment.”

Yarmuth, who recently announced he was running for re-election, said it was up to McConnell, who was once a close friend, to respond properly.

Mitch McConnell is going to experience his ‘profile in courage’ moment. If it’s not now, it’s coming very soon and I think it was kind of watching which way his members are going before he decides to act,” Yarmuth said. “But I think, ultimately, it’s going to be on his shoulders to save democracy, I think.”

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