8th Cong. Dist.: Krishnamoorthi, Diganvker debate Mueller investigation
Democratic 8th District Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi and Republican challenger Jitendra "JD" Diganvker have very different opinions of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and where it could lead.
Though both Schaumburg residents say they support the investigation, they disagree over its motivation and recently weighed in on whether it could bring calls for impeaching President Donald Trump from the next House of Representatives.
Diganvker sees the investigation largely as a necessary step to demonstrate the legitimacy of the last election to Democrats, so the nation can move on. He added that impeaching a president would forever hurt Americans' constitutional belief that the holder of the presidency is their choice.
"So far, I see it as a witch-hunt," Diganvker said. "I see a political motive to this investigation. So far they have found nothing. The investigation should be done, but why is it going for so long? It doesn't take five years to do that."
Diganvker said he believes Trump's policies have helped hardworking American people so much that Democratic leaders like House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi see impeachment as the only option to undermine them. But he stopped short of predicting the outcome of the investigation.
"Impeachment, if that has to come, I will support the Congress in all fairness," he said. "But at the same time, that is not the right thing in the interest of the nation."
Krishnamoorthi said he believes Mueller's investigation to be professional and thorough, as well as deserving of independence from political influence.
"Impeachment, if it ever came to that, it has to be based on a bipartisan consensus," Krishnamoorthi said. "That's my belief. It cannot be one party or the other basically trying to undo the results of the last election through an impeachment process. It has to be something that both sides, or a large number of people, believe would merit the highest punishment for our president."
Krishnamoorthi said he's been disturbed by Trump's reaction to the investigation, as well as efforts by some House Republicans to undermine it by going after the Department of Justice and FBI.
Any impeachment process would begin with the House introducing articles of impeachment for first its own approval and then the Senate's.
Krishnamoorthi said that with both houses of Congress controlled by Republicans, impeachment would require the weight of the investigation's findings and evidence.
"This has to stay out of politics," he added. "This stuff is too important and it should be something that hopefully both sides can come together on and say, hey, we have to put America first."
The 8th Congressional District is roughly centered in Schaumburg and includes areas of northwest Cook, northeast DuPage and northeast Kane counties.