IMPEACHED
Trump charged with abuse of power, obstruction
Donald Trump becomes only the third president in U. S. history to be impeached. The vote along partisan lines revealed a House — and a nation — divided
Leaving the White House at 4:46 p.m., Wednesday, U. S. President Donald Trump walked to Marine One helicopter to begin his trip to a campaign rally in Battle Creek, Michigan. While en route, noting on Twitter that supporters were lining up to greet him, he wrote: “Thank you Michigan, I am on my way. See everybody soon.”
His reception at the “Keep America Great” rally should be more soothing for him.
The Washington, D. C., he left behind still rang with vitriol and high- octane rhetoric inside the House of Representatives, uncharacteristically jammed packed, as Congress debated a motion to impeach him.
Inside the House, Wednesday’s proceedings were variously said to be “historic,” “sad,” “solemn,” “grave,” and a “sham.”
In a dark suit to reflect what she has called a “sombre” time, Democrat and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wore a brooch that was a replica of the Mace of the Republic, the symbol for the power of the House.
The impeachment vote was either a display of “moral courage” to save the democracy on which America was built, as Pelosi said, or, in the words of Republican Congressman Mike Kelly, “another date that will live in infamy,” comparing it to the Second World War attack on Pearl Harbor.
The move to impeach Trump was “nothing more than a political hit job,” as characterized by Republican Congressman Guy Reschenthaler; unless Trump’s actions with Ukraine’s president were “a geopolitical shakedown,” as characterized by Democratic Congresswoman Nydia Velasquez.
The evidence against Trump was either “clear cut and undisputed” or a “hyper-partisan… sham since day one.”
The House approved its impeachment debate rules just before noon, starting the clock on more than six hours of debate, equally divided.
The speeches, some eloquent and some disjointed, evoked imagery of Hitler and Jesus, both in relation to Trump, from opposite sides of the House.
And there was much talk of hate. Republican after Republican took to the podium to say the Democrats were only lashing out desperately because they “hate” Trump and what he has done for the United States, including renegotiating the “rip-off trade deal with Mexico and Canada,” said one Republican representative.
Kelly accused his Democratic colleagues of being “so blinded by your hate that you can’t see straight.”
Democrats retorted that it wasn’t hate for Trump that compelled them, but love for their country.
And the debate rolled on.
The bellicose and jarring rhetoric underscored the division in the House and reflected that within the country. As enthusiastic supporters of the president gathered in large numbers at the Michigan arena, protests demanding his impeachment were held elsewhere.
Hundreds of demonstrators — wrapped in winter scarves and puffy jackets to protect against the morning cold — gathered in the shadow of the Capitol to show lawmakers they have constituents across the country who support the impeachment and removal of Trump.
Brandishing signs that said, “impeach now” and “country over party,” the crowd joined in a chant: “Nobody is above the law.” Moments later, a bald eagle soared overhead. The crowd cheered as demonstrators spotted the bird gliding past.
“I believe in omens,” said Reggie Hubbard, a rally organizer and Moveon’s congressional liaison and D. C. strategist. “So, if a bald eagle flies over you when you’re supporting the Constitution, I’m into that.”
And the House debate — and vote — matched that partisan divide.
The impeachment vote inevitably passed in the Democrat-controlled House, as Republican representatives repeatedly complained during the debate, and the vote fell largely along party lines.
The abuse of power article of impeachment passed on a 230 - 197 vote. T he House then voted 229-198 on a second article of impeachment charging him with obstruction of Congress.
The outcome places Trump alongside Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998 to be the third U. S. president impeached in America’s history. Richard Nixon resigned before the House could vote on articles of impeachment in the Watergate scandal in 1974.
Trump, meanwhile, remained out of sight during most of the ferocious debate. He started his day, at least on Twitter, by promoting polls showing his popularity, retweeting messages of support, issuing condemnation of the Democrats and sharing friendly commentary, almost all of it from Fox News sources.
His calendar had only one White House event scheduled, an 11: 45 a. m. intelligence briefing, before his late afternoon departure for Michigan.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham told reporters he talked to Trump around midday and asked how he was doing. Graham said he told him: “Well I’m being impeached, other than that I’m doing OK.”
The White House issued a statement saying the president would be “working all day,” but “could catch some of the proceedings between meetings.”
He apparently did. About 10 minutes after the statement, Trump sent out an all- caps tweet: “SUCH ATROCIOUS LIES BY THE RADICAL LEFT, DO NOTHING DEMOCRATS. THIS IS AN ASSAULT ON AMERICA, AND AN ASSAULT ON THE REPUBLICAN PARTY!!!!”
As the debate continued in the House the techniques and tactics varied. Some spoke of their personal roots.
“My father fled Nazi Germany for America because he s aw wh at happened when a despot became untethered,” said Democratic representative Jackie Speier.
Russ Fulcher, a Republican representative raised eyebrows in a different way, by bringing a moment of unexpected silence. “In a day of heavy and verbal debate I choose to use my time to repeat in detail, every high crime misdemeanour committed by the President of the United States,” Fulcher said. “I will do so now.”
He then remained stone silent for 21 seconds until his designated time was up and the speaker’s gavel returned the House to a bustle.
The first article of impeachment against Trump stems from holding back almost $ 400 million in military aid to Ukraine while urging Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, to launch an investigation into Joe Biden, a Democrat whom he could face in the 2020 election.
The second article accused the president of obstructing Congress for undermining the investigation into his conduct with Ukraine by ordering his administration’s employees to ignore subpoenas to testify and provide documents to the inquiry. The impeachment in the House does not result in Trump’s removal from office.
It moves the impeachment proceedings to the Senate, which is controlled by a Republican majority. The Senate is expected to hold a trial of Trump in January.
The process is expected to feature similar partisan speeches, similar vitriol but a different result.