Trump Impeachment Odds Grow After Comey Testimony Amid Rush of Bets on President’s Exit

    Jason Le Miere

    Amid James Comey's testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee Thursday, people are increasingly staking money on President Donald Trump failing to complete his four-year term, though either impeachment or him resigning.

    Related: Trump Under Investigation for Obstruction of Justice, James Comey Says in Testimony

    During the hearing, Comey stated Trump had asked him to drop an investigation into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. While he didn’t make his own conclusion on whether Trump’s actions constituted obstruction of justice, he said he was “sure” that the special counsel now overseeing the investigation into the Trump campaign’s possible collusion with Russia, Robert Mueller, would investigate it. Obstruction of Justice is a federal crime and an impeachable offense.

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    Those who put their money where their mouth is believe that it is increasingly likely that Trump will either be impeached or resign. The odds on Trump’s term being cut short moved from 4/5 to 4/7 with British betting firm Ladbrokes in the wake of Comey’s testimony. The new odds equate to a 63.6 percent chance of Trump failing to make it to 2020.

    “Political punters are starting to think it's genuinely a case of when and not if Trump has to wave goodbye to the White House, and they're willing to stake money that could be tied up for nearly four years,” Ladbrokes spokesperson  Jessica Bridge said in an emailed statement.

    trump

    President Donald Trump addresses the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s "Road to Majority" conference in Washington, D.C., June 8, 2017. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

    Trump is already mounting a defense to Comey's testimony, however, and his lawyer Marc Kasowitz quickly hit back.

    “The president never, in form, or substance, directed or suggested that Mr. Comey stop investigating anyone, including suggestions that Mr. Comey 'let Flynn go,'" he said.

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    Kasowitz added that Comey’s assertion that Trump asked him for loyalty on multiple occasions did not coordinate with the facts.

     

     


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    In order for impeachment proceedings to be successful, it would require the support of a majority in the House of Representatives and a two-thirds majority in the Senate. The Republicans currently control both chambers.

    Both Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton faced impeachment proceedings for obstruction of justice. Nixon resigned when his removal appeared inevitable while Clinton survived a vote in the Senate.

    Some Democrats have already begun calling for Trump’s impeachment. On Wednesday, Democratic Representative Al Green of Texas announced that he was drafting articles of impeachment to place before the House. Yet some in the Democratic leadership have called for members of the party to cool impeachment talk. Thus far, Republicans have for the most part backed the president.

    Following Comey’s testimony, the Republican National Committee released a statement claiming that the president had been vindicated. “Today’s testimony proved what we have known all along,” said Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel. “President Trump is not under investigation, there’s still no evidence of collusion, and he did not hinder the investigation in anyway.”

     

     


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