Trump calls impeachment inquiry 'witch hunt'; TX lawmakers react

HOUSTON – Texas politicians are weighing in after Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi announced a formal impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump.

This announcement was announced as allegations surfaced that Trump tried to pressure the president of Ukraine to investigate presidential contender and former Vice President, Joe Biden's son, Hunter. 

"The actions of the Trump presidency revealed the dishonorable fact of the president's betrayal of his oath of office, betrayal of our national security and betrayal of the integrity of our elections," Pelosi said in a brief speech in the Capitol Tuesday evening. "Therefore, today, I am announcing the House of Representatives moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry." 

 Trump spoke out against the Democrats, Pelosi, Nalder, Schiff and Maxine Waters, calling it a "witch hunt."

Former Vice President Joe Biden called Trump's alleged actions an "abuse of power." 

"If we allow a president to get away with shredding the United States Constitution — that will last forever," he tweeted. 

The U.S. senators for Texas, John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, were notably silent after the announcement but the GOP aimed to deflect with their response. 

"While Dems bluster about impeachment, @realDonaldTrump's pro-growth policies have created an economy that works for everyone," the party wrote. "*Total # of employed Americans at record 157.9 million *Labor force participation rate at 63.2% *Wage growth is growing at 3.2% year over year." 

In Texas, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee cited various articles of the Constitution to say Congress had grounds to impeach Trump. She said the language in the Constitution was "stark and clear."

Republican Rep. Pete Olson of Texas said Democrats have "found their latest shiny object in Ukraine," after the Mueller Report refuted the idea of Russian collusion. 

"I thank President Trump for being responsible and agreeing to release the full transcript of his conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tomorrow," he wrote in a statement. "Since I believe that every American is innocent until proven guilty, I will read the transcript before jumping to any conclusions. I urge my Democratic colleagues to be responsible and do the same." 

Texas Democrat and 2020 hopeful, Joaquin Castro, who has called for impeachment in the past, released a statement demanding that the director of National Intelligence release a whistleblower's complaint and transcripts of the phone call between Trump and Ukraine. 

"Normalizing this dangerous and illicit behavior sets a precedent for future presidents and Congresses," Castro wrote. "In order to preserve the sanctity of our Constitution and reassert our congressional authority over this corruption, impeachment is the only way forward." 

Presidential hopeful and former U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke beseeched Congress to impeach Trump in a Tweet Tuesday evening.

"We have a lawless president, who has undermined our democracy; a racist president, who has incited violence; a reckless president, who has let our planet burn and fleeced taxpayers for his own benefit," he tweeted. To my former colleagues in Congress: Finish the job and impeach him."