Trump supporter’s protest disrupts opening of impeachment hearings
A PROTESTER has disrupted the opening of impeachment hearings into US President Donald Trump.
Judiciary Committee chairman Jerrold Nadler was interrupted by a protester shouting “we voted for Donald Trump” as the panel opened.
The protester was escorted from the House of Representatives hearing room by police.
Mr Nadler pressed ahead with opening remarks saying: “President Trump put himself before country.”
The committee is to vote soon, possibly this week, on two or more charges of abuse of power, bribery and obstruction against the Republican president.
Democrats say Mr Trump’s push to have Ukraine investigate rival Joe Biden while at the same time withholding US military aid contradicted US policy and benefited Russia.
The top Republican on the panel, representative Doug Collins, derided the hearing as a “sham” and said Democrats are racing to jam impeachment through on a “clock and a calendar” ahead of the 2020 presidential election.
Mr Collins said: “For anyone not to think this was not a baked deal is not being honest with themselves. They can’t get over the fact that Donald Trump is the president of the United States and they don’t have a candidate that can beat him.”
The hearing sets off a pivotal week as Democrats march towards a full House vote expected by Christmas.
■ North Korea has insulted US President Donald Trump, calling him a “heedless and erratic old man”. The insult comes after Mr Trump tweeted that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would not want to abandon a special relationship between the two leaders and affect the American presidential election by resuming hostile acts.