Washington (CNN) Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders on Wednesday said it might be time for House Democrats to begin an inquiry that could lead to impeachment proceedings into President Donald Trump.

"I think it may be time at least to begin the process through the (House) Judiciary Committee to determine whether or not there are impeachment proceedings," the Vermont independent said on CNN's "The Lead" with Jake Tapper.

Sanders' comments showed the presidential candidate inching closer toward support for an impeachment effort against Trump, while still warning of the political ramifications such actions could bring.

Sanders said at a CNN town hall last month that there should be a "thorough investigation," but cautioned that an impeachment attempt could drag down electoral efforts to keep Trump from getting a second term.

"If, for the next year, all the Congress is talking about is 'Trump, Trump, Trump,' and 'Mueller, Mueller, Mueller' and we're not talking about health care and raising the minimum wage to a living wage and we're not talking about climate change and sexism and racism and homophobia and the issues that concern ordinary Americans -- I worry that works to Trump's advantage," Sanders said in April.

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