Pelosi: Trump ‘leaves us no choice’

Democrats move to draft articles of impeachment

WASHINGTON — House Democrats moved to draw up formal articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump on Thursday, with Speaker Nancy

Pelosi saying he “leaves us no choice” but to act swiftly because he’s likely to corrupt the system again unless removed before next year’s election.

A partisan effort at this point, derided by Trump and other leading Republicans as a sham and a hoax, it is a politically risky undertaking. Democrats say it is their duty, while Republicans say will it drive Pelosi’s majority from office.

Congress must act, Pelosi said. “The democracy is what is at stake.”

“The president’s actions have seriously violated the Constitution,” she said. “He is trying to corrupt, once again, the election for his own benefit. The president has engaged in abuse of power, undermining our national security and jeopardizing the integrity of our elections.”

Trump has insisted he did nothing wrong. He tweeted that the Democrats “have gone crazy.”

House members are preparing to vote on the articles of impeachment in the Judiciary Committee, possibly as soon as next week. The committee set a Monday hearing to receive the Intelligence Committee’s report outlining the findings against the president.

The House is expecting a full vote by Christmas. The would send the issue to the Senate for a trial in the new year.

At the core of the impeachment probe is a July phone call with the president of Ukraine, in which Trump pressed the leader to announce investigations of Democrats including political rival Joe Biden at