‘Civilisation is at stake,’ warns Pelosi as vote to impeach Trump looms
President could face charges of abuse of power in office and bribery
HOUSE Democrats have signalled they could have articles of impeachment against US President Donald Trump drawn up by next week after Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked the House Judiciary Committee to start the process.
“Civilisation as we know it today is at stake in the next election, and certainly our planet,” Ms Pelosi told a CNN town hall event in Washington after making her historic announcement.
The president was quick to lash out on Twitter, again inviting ridicule by calling for the CIA whistleblower whose initial complaint prompted the inquiry to reveal themselves, as his lawyers continue to battle to stop the release of his financial records to Congress.
Democrats will now deliberate over what charges to bring against Mr Trump.
The committee could draft and recommend the articles by next Thursday after more than two months investigating and interviewing witnesses and holding hearings into whether the Republican president abused the power of his office.
Ms Pelosi said on Thursday
she had directed Jerr old Nadler, the Judiciary panel’s chairman, to draw up the formal charges, which will subsequently be put for a vote in the full House.
She called it a historic day. “It was taking us across a threshold on this that we just had no choice. I do hope that it would be remembered in a way that honours the vision of our founders, what they had in mind for establishing a democracy,” Ms Pelosi later told CNN.
At the heart of the impeachment inquiry is Mr Trump’s request that Ukraine launch an investigation targeting Joe Biden. The former vice president is a top contender for the Democratic nomination to face Mr Trump in the November 2020 presidential election.
The president denies wrongdoing and has not cooperated with the investigation, which he calls a hoax. He could face an impeachment charge of obstruction of Congress in addition to one alleging abuse of power. Some members of Congress and legal experts have speculated he could also face charges of bribery or obstruction of justice.
Mr Trump has refused all requests to hand over documents and ordered administration officials not to testify.
Mr Nadler had given him until 5pm yesterday to say whether he or his legal team would take part in Judiciary proceedings by calling witnesses, introducing evidence and making a presentation.
“If he wants to, it will be done – I presume – next week,” Mr Nadler said.
On Wednesday, three constitutional law experts called by Democratic politicians told the committee that Mr Trump had committed impeachable offences. A fourth expert called by Republicans called the inquiry rushed and its findings inconclusive.
Mr Nadler has scheduled another hearing for Monday, at which lawyers for the Judiciary and Intelligence committees will discuss the impeachment investigation.
The probe is focusing on a July 25 telephone call in which Mr Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
to open an investigation into Mr Biden and his son Hunter and into a discredited theory promoted by Mr Trump and his allies that Ukraine, not Russia, meddled in the 2016 US election.
Hunter Biden joined the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma while his father was vice president. Mr Trump has accused the Bidens of corruption. They have denied wrongdoing and the allegations have not been substantiated.
Democrats accuse Mr Trump of abusing his power by withholding $391m in security aid to Ukraine – a vulnerable ally facing Russian aggression – as leverage to pressure Kiev into investigating the Bidens, and promising Mr Zelensky a coveted White House meeting.
Republicans accuse Democrats of conducting a politically motivated witch hunt aimed at ousting Mr Trump. They say Trump’s actions in Ukraine were focused on weeding out corruption.
If the House votes for impeachment as expected, the Senate would hold a trial on whether to convict Trump and remove him from office. Republicans control the Senate and have shown little support for his removal.
‘I do hope it will be remembered in a way that honours the vision of our founders for establishing democracy’