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First GOP governor comes out in support of Trump impeachment inquiry

Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

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.

Go deeper

Jonathan Swan, Zachary Basu
13 mins ago - Politics & Policy
Off the Rails

Episode 2: Barbarians at the Oval

Photo illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photo: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images

Beginning on election night 2020 and continuing through his final days in office, Donald Trump unraveled and dragged America with him, to the point that his followers sacked the U.S. Capitol with two weeks left in his term. This Axios series takes you inside the collapse of a president.

Episode 2: Trump stops buying what his professional staff are telling him, and increasingly turns to radical voices telling him what he wants to hear.

President Trump plunked down in an armchair in the White House residence, still dressed from his golf game — navy fleece, black pants, white MAGA cap. It was Saturday, Nov. 7. The networks had just called the election for Joe Biden.

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Sara Fischer, Kyle Daly
58 mins ago - Technology

Fringe right plots new attacks out of sight

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Domestic extremists are using obscure and private corners of the internet to plot new attacks ahead of Inauguration Day. Their plans are also hidden in plain sight, buried in podcasts and online video platforms.

Why it matters: Because law enforcement was caught flat-footed during last week's Capitol siege, researchers and intelligence agencies are paying more attention to online threats that could turn into real-world violence.

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Sara Fischer, Margaret Harding McGill
2 hours ago - Technology

Kids’ screen time up 50% during pandemic

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

When the coronavirus lockdowns started in March, kidstech firm SuperAwesome found that screen time was up 50%. Nearly a year later, that percentage hasn't budged, according to new figures from the firm.

Why it matters: For most parents, pre-pandemic expectations around screen time are no longer realistic. The concern now has shifted from the number of hours in front of screens to the quality of screen time.

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