WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives plunge into a formal impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump on Wednesday, a move that could dramatically change the 2020 presidential race. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who had for months resisted calls inside her party for Trump’s impeachment, announced her decision after meeting with members of her party on Tuesday. In a brief, nationally televised statement, Pelosi accused Trump of seeking Ukraine’s help to smear Democratic presidential frontrunner Joe Biden ahead of the 2020 election. She described the Republican president’s behavior as a “betrayal of his oath of office, betrayal of our national security and betrayal of the integrity of our elections.” Trump fired back quickly on Twitter, calling the inquiry “Witch Hunt garbage.” Even if the Democratic-controlled House ultimately voted to impeach Trump, it is unlikely to lead to his removal from office. Republicans hold a slim majority in the Senate, where an impeachment ruling would need a two-thirds majority to pass. But the process could damage the president’s image as he vies for re-election, with only about 45% of Americans approving of his performance as president, especially if damaging information comes out during public hearings. It could […]

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