"I think that Donald Trump has already done a number of things which legitimately raise the question of impeachment," Ellison said Wednesday night during CNN's debate among the eight candidates to lead the Democratic National Committee.

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He went on to accuse Trump of being in violation of the Constitution's Emoluments Clause, which prohibits a president from receiving payments or gifts from foreign states. In the mind of Ellison and others, Trump's ownership of his Washington, D.C., hotel, which has been frequented by foreign diplomats, puts him in violation of that law.

Trump has said he will donate that money to the Treasury.

Ellison added that he doesn't believe impeachment discussions are only about Trump, but about protecting the "integrity" of the presidency.

"We need to begin investigations not to go after Donald Trump, but protect the presidency of the United States to make sure nobody can monetize the presidency and make profit off it for his own gain," he said.

Democrats will meet in Atlanta on Saturday to choose their next chair from the eight candidates. Ellison is seen as a front-runner, alongside former Labor Secretary Tom Perez.