House of Representatives approves both articles of impeachment for full house vote
From ABC News;In response to:
Impeachment vote: House committee approves charges against President Trump
The House Judiciary Committee voted to approve two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump Friday morning.
By LISA MASCARO and MARY CLARE JALONICK
Updated a minute ago
WASHINGTON -- Democrats propelled President Donald Trump's impeachment toward a historic vote by the full U.S. House on Friday, as the Judiciary Committee approved charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. It's the latest major step in the constitutional and political storm that has divided Congress and the nation.
The House is expected to approve the two articles of impeachment next week, before lawmakers depart for the holidays.
Trump is accused, in the first article, of abusing his presidential power by asking Ukraine to investigate his 2020 rival Joe Biden while holding military aid as leverage, and, in the second, of obstructing Congress by blocking the House's efforts to probe his actions.
"Today is a solemn and sad day," Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., told reporters after the session, marking the third time in U.S. history the panel had voted to recommend impeaching a president. He said the full House would act ''expeditiously."'
Voting was swift and solemn, with none of the fiery speeches and weighty nods to history that have defined the previous debating, including 14 hours that stretched nearly to midnight Thursday. Nadler abruptly halted that session so voting could be held in daylight, for all Americans to see.
Nadler, who had said he wanted lawmakers to "search their consciences" before casting their votes, gaveled in the landmark but brief morning session.
Trump is only the fourth U.S. president to face impeachment proceedings and the first to be running for reelection at the same time. The outcome of the eventual House votes pose potentially serious political consequences for both parties ahead of the 2020 elections, with Americans deeply divided over whether the president indeed conducted impeachable acts and if it should be up to Congress, or the voters, to decide whether he should remain in office.
The outcome came quickly after two days of hearings at the Capitol and the rancorous 14-hour session that was shut down when the Democratic majority refused to be forced, after a long and bitter slog through failed Republican amendments aimed at killing the impeachment charges, into midnight voting. Instead, the impeachment charges against Trump were aired in full view.
Impeachment vote: House committee approves charges against President Trump
The House Judiciary Committee voted to approve two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump Friday morning.
By LISA MASCARO and MARY CLARE JALONICK
Updated a minute ago
WASHINGTON -- Democrats propelled President Donald Trump's impeachment toward a historic vote by the full U.S. House on Friday, as the Judiciary Committee approved charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. It's the latest major step in the constitutional and political storm that has divided Congress and the nation.
The House is expected to approve the two articles of impeachment next week, before lawmakers depart for the holidays.
Trump is accused, in the first article, of abusing his presidential power by asking Ukraine to investigate his 2020 rival Joe Biden while holding military aid as leverage, and, in the second, of obstructing Congress by blocking the House's efforts to probe his actions.
"Today is a solemn and sad day," Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., told reporters after the session, marking the third time in U.S. history the panel had voted to recommend impeaching a president. He said the full House would act ''expeditiously."'
Voting was swift and solemn, with none of the fiery speeches and weighty nods to history that have defined the previous debating, including 14 hours that stretched nearly to midnight Thursday. Nadler abruptly halted that session so voting could be held in daylight, for all Americans to see.
Nadler, who had said he wanted lawmakers to "search their consciences" before casting their votes, gaveled in the landmark but brief morning session.
Trump is only the fourth U.S. president to face impeachment proceedings and the first to be running for reelection at the same time. The outcome of the eventual House votes pose potentially serious political consequences for both parties ahead of the 2020 elections, with Americans deeply divided over whether the president indeed conducted impeachable acts and if it should be up to Congress, or the voters, to decide whether he should remain in office.
The outcome came quickly after two days of hearings at the Capitol and the rancorous 14-hour session that was shut down when the Democratic majority refused to be forced, after a long and bitter slog through failed Republican amendments aimed at killing the impeachment charges, into midnight voting. Instead, the impeachment charges against Trump were aired in full view.
Comments (16)
In fact, he got caught when he tried this with Ukraine, which means that any “information” impugning Joe Biden will be treated skeptically.
Moreover, there is no guarantee Trump’s efforts will “work” in the sense that they will ensure his re-election. They could—which is why it is essential to continue impeachment proceedings and inform the American public exactly what Trump has tried to do, and is still trying to do.
But Americans will still vote in November 2020 and, if Trump does indeed remain in office after the impeachment process concludes, the election will be the last best chance to rein in his destructive presidency.
It will be crucially important for journalists to do what they can to get voters the information they need to make an informed decision—which means refusing to act as dutiful stenographers for whatever allegedly damaging attacks are leveled at the eventual Democratic nominee.
Attorney General William Barr has demonstrated that he places personal loyalty to Trump above the rule of law. If Barr’s Department of Justice announces an investigation into the Democratic nominee, we cannot accept at face value that this is anything other than a partisan attempt to help Trump’s campaign.
Trump has put us on notice that he is willing to do what it takes to (he hopes) improve his chances for re-election—whether those actions or illegal, unethical, or both. That means we have to stay on guard. We know what he has been trying with Ukraine.
We can expect he will try other tactics—perhaps some we haven’t seen yet, and perhaps some that may not be obviously connected to him at first glance (the whole point of the Ukraine scheme was that President Zelensky would have appeared to make an independent announcement of an investigation related to the Bidens. The idea was to keep Trump’s fingerprints off it.
That means we have to be skeptical, and we have to ask questions. When Trump acts, we have to ask whether he is acting in the national interest or his own personal interest.
If Trump continues to press Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to keep interest rates low, we have to consider whether Powell is truly able to act independently or, instead, is succumbing to political pressure.
If Trump continues to draw out his trade war with China, promising that a deal is close whenever markets seem to waver, we have to ask whether he is telling the truth, or just trying to string things out until after the election.
The heart of the matter is that Trump places his personal interest ahead of—in place of—the national interest.
At times, his personal interest may converge with yours—if he’s pressing Powell to keep interest rates low, markets SPX, +0.09% might keep responding favorably, at least for the time being (though Sven Henrich has warned of the risks involved).
It’s worth keeping in mind, though, that, when push comes to shove, Trump will always choose himself and his own interests ahead of yours and ahead of the country’s.
Those who are willing to make a Faustian bargain with Trump should understand exactly what they’re getting into—and those who refuse to make such a bargain must keep insisting that they remain clear-eyed about exactly what Trump is doing and why it threatens our constitutional system.
Chris Edelson is an assistant professor of government in American University’s School of Public Affairs. He has written two books on presidential power, and recently wrote a book chapter describing the problem of constitutional failure in the United States.
Good luck with that.
That's what a ridiculous punk Gaetz has become. His behavior is that of a mob hitman,
not a legislator. He should be voted out pronto.
I shake my head to see that you have somehow lost your conscience as well and embrace such despicable behavior.
He's surely not encouraging them to do the right thing.
He's trying to intimidate them to do what he wants them to do.
That should not be the role of a legislator.
He should lose his job.
What a disgrace these democrat haters are.
However, pointing out the so-called president's crimes may be a blueprint, but not for re-election.
Withholding funds to Ukraine. Let's see... oh, it puts them in jeopardy of invasion by Russia.
I that in itself could be deemed as an act of treason.
The sham will fall apart. Whether there's an impeachment and it passes (thanks only to majority Dems have in the House), it will not end up well for Dems. Voters are (already) PÍSSED, and you better believe this is gonna show in the 2020 congressional elections. Very decent chance R's will retake the House. They should keep a senate majority. And obviously Don is the favorite to win again in 2020.
It kinda feel likes an effort in self-destruction by the Dems. Maybe it's necessary?
The only way they can probably move on from Denial and Anger is to get whupped in 2020.
Ukraine never received lethal aid from Obama admin (you know, when it was GETTING INVADED BY RUSSIA).
The aid didn't come from Trump, it came from Congress. That's why Trump had no legal right to put a hold on it.
Indeed, what he did was illegal & impeachable.
It's pretty sick that one of things Trump was elected to do, was to help drain the swamp.