'Deceit and Lies and Obstruction of Justice': 2020 Democratic Candidates Split With Pelosi on Impeachment

“We need to begin impeachment proceedings and we need a new commander in chief.”Those types of comments are a marked shift from earlier this year, when the presidential candidates largely—and very deliberately—attempted to ignore Trump as they got their campaigns rolling.But the public statement on Wednesday from Special Counsel Robert Mueller reiterating that he couldn’t clear the president of crimes—and specifically of obstruction of justice—has given the Democratic left wing new cause to ramp up impeachment calls, even as most opinion polls show the general public is against taking that step.Mueller’s statement prompted Senators Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, plus former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, to call for initiating impeachment proceedings. They joined other competitors appearing at the California gathering including Harris, Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and former Texas Representative Beto O’Rourke, who previously called for Trump’s impeachment.“The House of Representatives should move to impeachment proceedings,” Booker said Saturday at a MoveOn forum in San Francisco, drawing cheers as he accused the president of “deceit and lies and obstruction of justice.”Not all of the candidates are taking on the issue on the stump, though.