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Vermont's Phil Scott became the first Republican governor to formally back an impeachment inquiry into President Trump amid the Trump-Ukraine whistleblower complaint, AP reports.
Why it matters: Scott's stance is a departure from the party norm. Republican lawmakers have been almost entirely united in their support of Trump, who has maintained near-90% approval ratings among his own party throughout his presidency.
Between the lines: While Utah Sen. Mitt Romney has been critical of Trump, he has not stated his official support for an impeachment inquiry.
- Scott noted that Congress has a "solemn responsibility" to conduct the inquiry as a matter of maintaining checks and balances.
- On Thursday, the governor said he was unsurprised by Trump's request for Ukraine to investigate Biden because he's "watched him over the years."
Context: This is not the first time Scott has been critical of the president.
- Earlier this year, when Trump said 4 congresswomen of color should "go back" to their countries, Scott condemned the comments as racist.