Julian Castro on Principles & Values Democratic Presidential Challenger (withdrawn); former HUD Secretary

Bold, new vision to lift up Americans

President should bring people together, not divide

Trump should be impeached for obstruction of justice

CASTRO: I was the first of the candidates to call on Congress to begin impeachment proceedings. There are 10 different incidents that Robert Mueller has pointed out where this president either obstructed justice or attempted to obstruct justice. And I believe that they should go forward with impeachment proceedings.

Q: Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller, when asked whether or not the president could be charged with a crime after leaving office, his answer was yes. Would you?

CASTRO: As to the question of what my Department of Justice would do, I agree with those who say that a president should not direct an attorney general specifically to prosecute or not prosecute. However, I believe that the evidence is plain and clear and that if it gets that far, that you're likely to see a prosecution of Donald Trump.

Mueller Report is clear that Trump deserves impeachment

But too many folks in Congress have been spooked by 1998. The times are different. And in fact, I think that folks are making a mistake by not pursuing impeachment. The Mueller Report clearly details that he deserves it. And what's going to happen in the fall of 2020, if they don't impeach him, is that he's going to say, "You see? The Democrats didn't go after me on impeachment, and you know why? Because I didn't do anything wrong."

Conversely, if Mitch McConnell is the one that lets him off the hook, we're going to be able to say, "Well, sure, they impeached him in the House, but his friend, Mitch McConnell, Moscow Mitch, let him off the hook."

Make America better than it's ever been

Help me build the future as one nation with one destiny

Grew up with Catholic tradition and progressive activism

A: I grew up in a household with a strong Catholic tradition. The grandmother I grew up with had been a devout Catholic. Going to Mass with her when I was a kid, & she would wear a veil over her head. My mother went to 16 straight years of Catholic school. She also became this hell-raiser when she was a young woman. Very politically active. Very progressive. I grew up with both of these things: this Catholic tradition and this very progressive mother.

Q: You often talk about basic human dignity and equality as the foundation of your policy proposals. Why do they matter?

A: The whole reason I got into politics and public service in the first place was based on this idealistic notion that we could create a world in which everybody is able to reach their full potential. Everybody is able to prosper. Some of that is rooted in the Catholic faith, a lot of it is rooted in the upbringing I had with my mother, this progressive upbringing.

Estoy postulando por presidente de los Estados Unidos

The very fact that I can say that tonight shows the progress that we have made in this country. Like many of you, I know the promise of America. My grandmother came here when she was 7 years old as an immigrant from Mexico, and just two generations later, one of her grandsons is serving in the United States Congress and the other one is running for president of the United States.

If I'm elected president, I will work hard every single day so that you and your family can get good health care, your child can get a good education, and that you can have good job opportunities, whether you live in a big city or a small town. And on January 20, 2021, we'll say adios to Donald Trump.

Make America smartest, healthiest, fairest & most prosperous

Jo & Ju