Terrie Rizzo, chair of the Florida Democratic Party, released the following statement in response to Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s announcement of a formal impeachment inquiry:

“Today Speaker Nancy Pelosi took the necessary step to safeguard our democracy from tyranny. A formal impeachment inquiry is a serious step, but President Donald Trump’s blatant actions while in office have left the Speaker and the House of Representatives no choice. Our Constitution designed these proceedings to ensure that presidents are held accountable to the public and determine whether the President of the United States had engaged in illegal activity. This isn’t about Democrats or Republicans, this is about protecting our democracy and our country.”