Larsen supports impeachment inquiry

As of Sunday, all of Washington state’s House Democrats are calling for an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.

U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Arlington) — who represents portions of Snohomish, Skagit and Whatcom counties and all of Island and San Juan counties — was the third member of Congress from the state to throw support behind the procedure when he released a statement on July 19.

His decision came after the president said in a tweet that a group of women of color in Congress should “go back” to where they came from, according to his statement

Three of the four women the president directed his tweets at were born in the U.S. and Rep. Ilhan Omar came to the country as a child and is a naturalized U.S. citizen.

“The idea of being an American citizen or striving to be an American citizen, and the dream it represents to people around the world is fundamental to our country,” Larsen said in the statement. “This president has no concept of this widely and tightly held belief of Americans … He should not be the president of the United States.”

Over the weekend, Washington Reps. Kim Schrier, Suzan DelBene, Derek Kilmer and Denny Heck released statements asking the House of Representatives to open an impeachment inquiry.

The statements cited obstruction of justice and findings noted in the report by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

Last week, Mueller testified before two House committees on his investigation into Russian interference into the 2016 election.

Washington Sen. Patty Murray also released a statement Sunday giving her support for an inquiry. The No. 3 Senate Democrat became the highest ranking member of her party to support impeachment proceedings.

More than half of House Democrats are in favor of an inquiry against the president, according to a New York Times survey; more than 100 representatives have voiced support of the 435 members of the chamber.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has resisted a formal inquiry.