Nadler: Panel vote is possible this week

WASHINGTON >> Speeding toward impeachment, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee said Sunday that he expects a committee vote soon on charges against President Donald Trump that will focus on abuse of power on Ukraine in a bid to get an unfair advantage in U.S. elections and obstruction in the congressional inquiry.

“We’ll bring articles of impeachment presumably before the committee at some point later in the week,” said Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y.

Last week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., instructed the committee to write articles of impeachment — formal charges — against Trump for pressuring Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, a leading Democratic rival. If the committee approves articles by Friday, that would set up a final impeachment vote in the days before Christmas.

“There’s a sense of urgency, because he will do anything — judging from his past conduct — that he can to get interference and to rig the next election,” Nadler said.

House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy criticized Democrats for their timeline, which he said was unfairly aimed at preventing voters from making their choices in the 2020 election.

“Two-thirds of those Democrats have already voted for impeachment before they heard anything,” said McCarthy, RCalif. “If they do not impeach him, they cannot beat him at the polls.”

Democrats have been working through the weekend as articles are being drafted and committee members prepare for a hearing today to hear evidence from the House Intelligence Committee, which investigated Trump’s dealings with Ukraine.

Democrats say Trump abused his power in the July 25 phone call when he asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for a favor in investigating Democrats and engaged in bribery by withholding nearly $400 million in military aide that Ukraine depends on to counter Russian aggression.

“There is overwhelming evidence that the president sought to coerce Ukraine into interfering in our election, essentially sought to cheat in our next election,” said Rep. Adam Schiff, the Intelligence Committee chairman.

“That is an ongoing threat to the country, and one that simply can’t wait,” said Schiff, D-Calif.