Call to start impeachment

The day after the release of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’S report, reaction from 2020 Democrats – as well as one leading Republican – intensified.

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Saturday called for the House to begin impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump, while Utah Sen. Mitt Romney said he was ‘‘sickened’’ by the ‘‘dishonesty’’ coming from the White House.

Warren’s statement was the strongest reaction so far to the release of the report into Russian interference in the 2016 election, and Trump’s efforts to thwart an investigation that followed, from the crowded field of 2020 presidential hopefuls.

Most candidates condemned Attorney General William Barr and his handling of the investigation on Friday.

‘‘The severity of this misconduct demands that elected officials in both parties set aside political considerations and do their constitutional duty,’’ Warren said on Twitter. ‘‘That means the House should initiate impeachment proceedings against the President of the United States.’’

Appearing on MSNBC, California Sen. Kamala Harris said of impeachment, ‘‘There is definitely a conversation to be had on that subject but first I want to hear from Bob Mueller.’’

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that her caucus would have a conference call to discuss the Mueller report tomorrow, the first day possible because of the Easter and Passover holidays.

The House could begin the process of impeachment with a simple majority vote, but it would take a two-thirds vote by the Republican-controlled Senate to remove Trump from office.

When Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff of California was asked about impeachment on CNN, he said that he felt as a former prosecutor, ‘‘You don’t bring a case if you don’t believe you’re going to be successful with it, just to try the case.’’

Republicans have largely defended Barr and argued that Mueller’s report exonerates

Trump.

But Romney, the GOP’S 2012 presidential nominee, had much stronger words for the administration.

He first said he was glad there was ‘‘insufficient evidence’’ to charge Trump.

‘‘Even so, I am sickened at the extent and pervasiveness of dishonesty and misdirection by individuals in the highest office of the land, including the President,’’ Romney said.

‘‘I am also appalled that, among other things, fellow citizens working in a campaign for president welcomed help from Russia – including information that had been illegally obtained; that none of them acted to inform American law enforcement; and that the campaign chairman was actively promoting Russian interests in Ukraine.’’ –AP

‘‘The severity of this misconduct demands that elected officials in both parties set aside political considerations and do their constitutional duty.’’ Senator Elizabeth Warren