Trump faces House impeachment
Partisan divisions apparent as Congress votes • Pelosi calls US leader ‘ongoing threat’ • Trump, denying wrongdoing, blasts Democrats
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday called Donald Trump an ongoing threat to American democracy who left Congress no choice but to impeach him as bitterly divided lawmakers debated before historic votes on charges accusing the Republican president of abusing his power and obstructing Congress.
With billowing partisan differences on full display, the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives launched a planned six hours of debate on the two articles of impeachment – formal charges – arising from the president’s actions toward Ukraine, with time equally divided between the parties and no amendments.
The votes were expected to take place in overnight Wednesday, Israel time. Trump would become only the third US president to be impeached. That would set the stage for a trial in the Republican-led Senate, with House members acting as prosecutors and senators as jurors. Republican senators have shown little interest in convicting Trump, which would result in his ouster.
On the House floor, Pelosi read the US Pledge of Allegiance, then said, “Today we are here to defend democracy for the people,” to applause from fellow Democratic lawmakers.
As the debate unfolded, Trump on Twitter called the proceedings “AN ASSAULT ON AMERICA” and on his party. Trump has denied wrongdoing.
While the House twice previously has voted to impeach presidents – Bill Clinton in 1998 and Andrew Johnson in 1868 – no president has ever been removed from office via impeachment.
Separate votes on the two charges were expected in the early evening local time. The votes were expected to fall almost entirely along party lines, with Democrats in favor and Republicans opposed.
In speeches on the House floor, Republicans defended the president and accused
Democrats of seeking to use an unfair and rigged process to nullify the results of the 2016 election in which Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton. The House voted down a Republican bid to adjourn and a motion accusing Democrats of violating the chamber’s rules.
“If we do not act now, we would be derelict in our duty. It is tragic that the president’s reckless actions make impeachment necessary,” Pelosi added.
“He gave us no choice. What we are discussing today is the established fact that the president violated the Constitution. It is a matter of fact that the president is an ongoing threat to our national security and the integrity of our elections – the basis of our democracy,” Pelosi said.
Following Pelosi, Representative Doug Collins, the House judiciary committee’s top Republican, said, “This an impeachment based on presumption. This is basically also a poll-tested impeachment on what actually sells to the American people. Today’s going to be a lot of things. What it is not, is fair. What it is not, is about the truth.”
The debate underscored the deep divide in Congress over Trump’s conduct during his tumultuous presidency and the larger political schism dividing the United States.
Republican Representative Mike Rogers said, “The matter before the House today is based solely on a fundamental hatred of our president. It’s a sham, a witch hunt – and it’s tantamount to a coup against the duly-elected president of the United States.”
Impeachment is an extraordinary check on presidential power spelled out in the US Constitution enabling Congress to remove presidents who commit “high crimes and misdemeanors.”
“The founders’ great fear of a rogue or corrupt president is the very reason why they enshrined impeachment in the Constitution,” Pelosi said, calling the gathered lawmakers the “custodians of the Constitution.”
House Democrats accuse Trump of abusing his power
by asking Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, a leading contender for the Democratic nomination to face Trump in the November 2020 election. Trump is also accused of obstructing the House investigation by directing administration officials and agencies not to comply with subpoenas for testimony and documents related to impeachment.
The House vote to approve the rules to formally begin debate was 228–197, a possible preview of the later votes on the articles of impeachment, with only two Democrats – Representatives Collin Peterson and Jeff Van Drew – voting no and no Republicans voting in favor. Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report. •