Dear San Franciscan,

Last Tuesday, we observed the anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution on September 17.

Sadly, on that day, the Intelligence Community Inspector General formally notified the Congress that he was being blocked from turning over a whistleblower complaint. This was a direct order from the Administration. On Constitution Day. This is a violation of law.

Shortly thereafter, press reports began to break of a phone call by the President of the United States calling upon a foreign power to intervene in his election. This is a breach of his constitutional responsibilities.

The facts are these: The Intelligence Community Inspector General, who was appointed by President Trump, determined that the complaint is both of urgent concern and credible, and its disclosure relates to one of the most significant and important of the Director of National Intelligence’s responsibilities to the American people.

On Thursday, the Inspector General testified before the House Intelligence Committee, stating that the Acting Director of National Intelligence blocked him from disclosing the whistleblower complaint. This is a violation of the law.

The law is unequivocal. The Director of National Intelligence (DNI) ‘shall’ provide Congress the full whistleblower complaint.

For more than 25 years, I have served on the Intelligence Committee – as a Member and as the Ranking Member.

I was there in the early 90’s when we wrote the whistleblower laws and continue to write them and to improve them to ensure the security of our intelligence and the safety of our whistleblowers.

I can say with authority, that, in my opinion, the president's actions undermine our national security, our intelligence, and our protections of whistleblowers.

This Thursday, the Acting DNI will appear before the House Intelligence Committee. 

At that time, he must turn over the whistleblower’s full complaint to the Committee. He will have to choose whether to break the law or honor his responsibility to the Constitution. 

Congresswoman Pelosi delivered a statement following a House Democratic Caucus Meeting.

On the final day of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, when our Constitution was adopted, Americans gathered on the steps of Independence Hall to await the news of the government our Founders had crafted.

They asked Benjamin Franklin, ‘What do we have: a republic or a monarchy?’ Franklin replied: ‘A republic, if you can keep it.’ Our responsibility is to keep it.

Our republic endures because of the wisdom of our Constitution, enshrined in three co-equal branches of government, serving as checks and balances on each other. I believe the actions taken to date by the President have seriously violated the Constitution.

For the past several months, we have been investigating in our Committees and litigating in the courts, so the House can gather all the relevant facts and consider whether to exercise its full Article I powers, including a constitutional power of the utmost gravity — approval of articles of impeachment.

This week, the President has admitted to asking the President of Ukraine to take actions which would, I believe, benefit him politically. These actions revealed the dishonorable fact of betrayal of his oath of office, betrayal of our national security, and betrayal of the integrity of our elections.

Therefore, yesterday, I announced that the House of Representatives is moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry. I have directed six Committees to proceed with their investigations under that umbrella of impeachment inquiry.

The President must be held accountable. No one is above the law.