OC Rep. Katie Porter Calls For Impeaching President Trump

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IRVINE (CBSLA) – First-term Rep. Katie Porter (D-Irvine) Monday became the latest Democratic House member to come out in support of impeaching President Donald Trump over the findings in the Mueller Report.

In a video posted to Twitter, Porter said, "After weeks of study, deliberation and conversations with Orange County families, I've decided to support an impeachment investigation of the president."

Democratic congressional candidate Katie Porter speaks at a campaign town hall in Orange County on Oct. 22, 2018, in Tustin, Calif. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

"I come to this decision after much deliberation, and I know, deeply, what this means for our democracy," Porter said.

Porter is the first of the four Orange County House members, all Democrats, to publicly support impeachment. Her colleagues Harley Rouda, Gil Cisneros and Mike Levin have not yet announced support.

Last November, Porter, a UC Irvine law professor, pulled off a surprising win over two-term incumbent Republican Rep. Mimi Walters in the 45th congressional district, which stretches from the Anaheim Hills to Mission Viejo.

She was one of four Democrats to sweep every congressional seat in Orange County, a longtime Republican stronghold.

"In his report and public remarks, Director Mueller emphasized that under current law, he did not have the option to indict the president," Porter said. "But despite the limits of his authority, the special counsel was clear that he could not exonerate the president. And he presented extensive evidence of obstruction of justice that requires continued investigation by Congress."

Other California representatives who support impeachment include Maxine Waters, Ted Lieu and Eric Swalwell.

"The administration has refused to respect the rule of law," Porter said in the video. "They have ignored multiple subpoenas, they directed current and former high-ranking officials to disregard summons to testify and the president has continued his effort to spread mistrust for law enforcement, contempt for our journalists and false information about the law, Mueller's findings and basic, uncontested facts."