Donald Trump is another step closer from being booted out of office after Speaker Nancy Pelosi ordered articles of impeachment to be drawn up.
In an historic announcement, Ms Pelsoi said she had formally requested that the House of Representatives begin drafting charges that stipulate why they’re impeaching the US president.
Mr Trump will have to front these “charges” if the House votes to send them to the Senate for trial.
Mr Trump’s “actions are a profound violation of the public trust” and “have seriously violated the Constitution”, Ms Pelosi said moments before asking the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee to “proceed with articles of impeachment”.
“His (Mr Trump’s) wrongdoing strikes at the very heart of our Constitution,” she said.
The president’s impeachable offences include “abuse of power and bribery”, “obstruction of congress” and “obstruction of justice”, according to an image taken by CNN’s Jeremy Herb on the first day of the House judiciary committee’s impeachment hearings.
On the screen in the hearing room…future articles of impeachment?
The first two are likely, the third is still being debated by Democrats pic.twitter.com/89d1dg82Hw
— Jeremy Herb (@jeremyherb) December 4, 2019
A reporter at a press conference asked Ms Pelosi whether she “hated” Mr Trump, to which she responded by saying “I don’t hate anyone”.
“I was raised in a way that is a heart full of love and always pray for the President. … So don’t mess with me when it comes to words like that,” she continued.
After Ms Pelosi delivered her statement on Thursday, Ms Trump accused Democrats of trying to impeach him over “two totally appropriate (perfect) phone calls with the Ukrainian President”.
“This will mean that the beyond important and seldom used act of Impeachment will be used routinely to attack future Presidents. That is not what our Founders had in mind.”
The Do Nothing, Radical Left Democrats have just announced that they are going to seek to Impeach me over NOTHING. They already gave up on the ridiculous Mueller “stuff,” so now they hang their hats on two totally appropriate (perfect) phone calls with the Ukrainian President….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 5, 2019
He then proceeded to attack Ms Pelosi, saying she had a “nervous fit”.
Nancy Pelosi just had a nervous fit. She hates that we will soon have 182 great new judges and sooo much more. Stock Market and employment records. She says she “prays for the President.” I don’t believe her, not even close. Help the homeless in your district Nancy. USMCA?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 5, 2019
Mr Trump had earlier tweeted before Ms Pelosi’s remarks: “If you are going to impeach me, do it now, fast, so we can have a fair trial in the Senate, and so that our country can get back to business.”
White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said immediately after Ms Pelosi’s announcement that the Democrats “should be ashamed”.
The US House Judiciary Committee later announced it is to hold a hearing on Monday to receive presentations on evidence in the impeachment inquiry.
Counsels representing both Democrats and Republicans from the Intelligence and Judiciary committees will make the presentations, Representative Jerrold Nadler, the Democrat who heads the Judiciary Committee, said.
The president, under the Constitution, can be removed from office for “Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.”
If the House approves articles of impeachment, a trial is then held in the Senate.
Conviction and removal of a president would require a two-thirds majority, considering Republicans control the Senate with 53 members.
There are just 45 Democrats and two independents who usually vote with the Democrats. Therefore, a conviction seems unlikely.
Should all 100 senators vote, at least 20 Republicans and all the Democrats and independents would have to vote against him.
In the unlikely event the Senate convicted Mr Trump, Vice President Mike Pence would become president for the remainder of Mr Trump’s term, which ends on January 20, 2021.
-with AAP
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