Impeachment debate kicks off with GOP objections on floor, Capitol protests
Tom Cole: Dems spun creative narrative ‘without factual evidence’
Tom Cole, House Rules Committee, says its stunning the majority wants to move forward with impeachment given how flawed the process has been
Debate on historic articles of impeachment against President Trump got off to a slow start Wednesday with Republicans unleashing delay tactics from the onset, only to be overruled by majority Democrats.
Shortly after the House gaveled in at 9 a.m., one GOP member forced a vote on whether to adjourn — requiring lawmakers to head to the floor before the debate even started.
“I just moved for the House to adjourn so that we can stop wasting America’s time on impeachment,” tweeted Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz. “Republicans stand united against this radical, vindictive, partisan sham by the Democrats.”
The ill-fated motion kicked off what is expected to be a long day in the deeply divided House, where Democrats believe it’s their solemn duty to impeach the president to preserve the democracy and the integrity of elections. Meanwhile, Republicans have dismissed the impeachment as an illegitimate way to undo the results of the 2016 election.
There were fireworks outside the Capitol, too. Several hundred people protested in the chilly December cold in favor of impeachment and removing Trump from office, following more than 600 anti-Trump rallies across the country Tuesday evening.
The House rules call for six hours of debate before taking two votes on the articles of impeachment. The first article alleges abuse of power over Trump pressuring Ukraine to launch investigations into Democrats that could benefit his re-election campaign. The second alleges obstruction of Congress over Trump preventing the House from interviewing witnesses and obtaining documents for the impeachment investigation.
The GOP objections are likely to push the timetable back further. Immediately after Biggs’ motion to adjourn was defeated, Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy offered another privileged resolution to condemn the way Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler handled the impeachment hearings.
HOUSE TO VOTE ON ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT AGAINST PRESIDENT TRUMP: LIVE UPDATES
That motion set off another round of voting. GOP Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., then stood up raising a “point of order” alleging the Democrats have violated the rights of the minority. The effort was dismissed by the presiding speaker Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo.
More than an hour later, House Democrats finally moved forward on debating the rules of the impeachment.
«The evidence is as clear as it is overwhelming,» said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass. «If a president undermining our national security and using the federal government for his own selfish personal gain is not impeachable conduct then…I don’t know what is.»
But GOP Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., shot back.
«If we’re really being honest, Democrats have been searching for a reason to impeach President Trump since the day he was elected,» Cole said.
Despite the prolonged floor drama, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has the votes to make Trump the third president ever impeached. President Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton were impeached in the House, but acquitted in the Senate. President Richard Nixon resigned before impeachment.
In the hours leading up to impeachment day, most of the Democrats in the 31 districts Trump won in 2016 came out in support of impeachment, giving Pelosi the 216 votes necessary.
Trump, emboldened by his unanimous support from GOP members, sent Pelosi a letter on the eve of his impeachment calling it “an illegal, partisan attempted coup.”
“History will judge you harshly as you proceed with this impeachment charade,” wrote Trump.
Trump, who insists his call with the Ukraine president was “perfect,” heads to battleground Michigan for a campaign rally Wednesday night.
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Schiff, who has been the target of Trump’s anger, stood by how he handled the impeachment process. Asked if he had any regrets as he headed to the House floor, the California Democrat responded: “No. Not at all. This was tragically made necessary by the president’s misconduct, by the abuse of his office.
“And I think there very well may be members who have regrets after this day when they’re asked in the future why they did nothing to stand up to the unethical president who is destroying our national security.”
Fox News’ Chad Pergram, Sarah Tobianski and Jason Smith contributed to this report.
