Burlington, Vermont - 11 October 2019

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY WHITE FRAMES ++

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, (D) presidential candidate:

REPORTER: "In terms of the impeachment inquiry, have you seen enough evidence to be able to vote yes on impeachment?"

SANDERS: "Well technically speaking that's something I won't tell you because I'm going to be acting as the United States senator. As a juror. It's like if you got on jury duty and somebody said you read something in the paper you're going to convict the guy before you heard the evidence in the trial. But this is what I will say. What I will say is that I believe that the Trump administration is probably the most corrupt administration maybe in the history of the United States and I think the impeachment process will only further educate the American people to the degree as to how corrupt that administration is. This is a president who I think does not understand the Constitution, nor believe in the Constitution, doesn't understand the rule of law, thinks that he is above the law, makes the most outrageous statements almost suggesting that he thinks he is a king and not an elected official. I think that's what the impeachment process will bring out."

++WHITE FRAMES ++

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, (D) presidential candidate:

"If Trump is impeached and I believe he will be and I believe he should be and when that trial comes to the United States Senate I hope (Sen. Mitch McConnell) McConnell will do the right thing for the American people and what the Constitution really mandates and allow a full trial to take place which the Senate and the American people can form their opinions. And I hope that McConnell thinks about the country rather than just his political party in doing that."

++WHITE FRAMES ++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, (D) presidential candidate:

"But you don't turn your back on allies who have fought and died alongside of American troops. You just don't do that and you don't do that through a tweet. You don't do that simply because you had a conversation with the leader of Turkey who may be requesting that you do that. That is not the way you conduct foreign policy. So I think it is an outrage. I think it is a disgrace."

++ENDS ON SOUNDBITE ++

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus125005

Vermont senator Bernie Sanders says that the Trump administration is probably "the most corrupt administration" in the history of the United States.

"This is a president who, I think, does not understand the Constitution, nor believe in the Constitution, doesn't understand the rule of law, thinks that he is above the law, " Sanders told reporters on Friday.

Sanders would not say how he would vote if President Donald Trump is impeached, but said he hopes Senator Mitch McConnell will "focus on the country rather than just his political party."

Sanders said Trump's decision to pull troops from Syria ahead of that country's military incursion was "a disgrace."