House backs release of Trump whistleblower complaint 421-0

[September 26, 2019]    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives voted 421-0 on Wednesday for a resolution calling on President Donald Trump to release a whistleblower complaint to Congress, despite the administration letting them view the classified document at secure locations in the U.S. Capitol.

President Donald Trump departs at the conclusion of a news conference on the sidelines of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City, New York, U.S., September 25, 2019. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Two House members voted present and 10 did not vote.

The document is central to the impeachment inquiry into the Republican president announced on Tuesday by the Democratic House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, after reports that Trump had tried to put pressure on Ukraine's president to help smear a political rival.

The Senate passed a similar resolution by unanimous voice vote on Tuesday.

Republicans joined Democrats in backing the release of the document, after many lawmakers argued that Trump's associates were defying a law calling for whistleblower complaints to be sent to Congress if they are found to be credible.

(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)

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