Markey is the second member of the Massachusetts congressional delegation to come out publicly in support of impeachment in the wake of the Mueller testimony, after Representative Lori Trahan issued a statement in favor of beginning an inquiry Wednesday.

“Taken together, Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s testimony and the president’s obstruction of the congressional investigation compel us to immediately begin a formal impeachment inquiry,” Markey said on the Senate floor. “I do not come to this decision lightly.”

Senator Ed Markey called Thursday for the House to begin an impeachment inquiry in a Senate floor speech Thursday, a day after former special counsel Robert Mueller testified before a pair of House committees.


More members of the state’s all-Democratic congressional delegation have come out in favor of impeachment in recent months in the wake of Mueller’s investigation and subsequent congressional probes.

In his speech, Markey pointed to the Trump administration’s refusal to cooperate with ongoing House investigations as part of his reasoning, in addition to the episodes of possible obstruction outlined in the Mueller report, which he called impeachable offenses.

“Indeed, in the face of evidence of serious and persistent misconduct that is harmful to the nation, Congress would be abusing its constitutional discretion and setting a dangerous precedent if it did not begin an impeachment inquiry,” he said.

Though impeachment proceedings do not originate in the Senate, if the House votes to pass one or more articles of impeachment, a trial would be held in the Senate. It would take a two-thirds vote in the Senate to remove the president, which is highly unlikely given the Republican majority.

Markey acknowledged that political dynamic, saying “I have no illusions about where an impeachment inquiry will lead.” Still, he called on the House to move forward with one.


Mueller testified for more than six hours Wednesday before the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees, dismissing Trump’s claims of exoneration and warning of continued election interference.

‘‘We spent substantial time assuring the integrity of the report, understanding that it would be our living message to those who come after us,’’ Mueller said. ‘‘But it also is a signal, a flag to those of us who have some responsibility in this area to exercise those responsibilities swiftly and don’t let this problem continue to linger as it has over so many years.”

Markey faces two declared Democratic primary challengers, who also have called for impeachment.

Christina Prignano can be reached at christina.prignano@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @cprignano.