Democrats to unveil two articles of impeachment against Trump

Democrats were expected to draft articles of impeachment on abuse of power and on obstruction of Congress.

By REUTERS
House Intelligence Committee Holds Hearing On Impeachment Inquiry Of President Trump (photo credit: REUTERS/POOL NEW)
House Intelligence Committee Holds Hearing On Impeachment Inquiry Of President Trump
(photo credit: REUTERS/POOL NEW)
Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives will unveil two articles of impeachment against Republican President Donald Trump on Tuesday, a senior Democratic aide said, setting the stage for a possible vote this week on impeachment.
The House aide spoke on condition of anonymity on Monday night and declined to give any details.
Democrats were expected to draft articles of impeachment on abuse of power and on obstruction of Congress, the aide told Reuters. The Washington Post first reported the expected articles, citing three unidentified officials.
Trump is accused of pressuring Ukraine to initiate a probe of a Democratic political rival and then of obstructing Congress' efforts to investigate his actions.
Democratic committee leaders met with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi after the last scheduled impeachment hearing concluded on Monday evening.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel said Democratic lawmakers planned to make an announcement on articles of impeachment on Tuesday morning. He would not elaborate as he left Pelosi's office.
Jerrold Nadler, the Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, closed the nine-hour proceeding with a condemnation of Trump's actions soliciting help from Ukraine against Democratic 2020 U.S. presidential rival Joe Biden.
Democrats described Trump's actions as a "clear and present danger" to national security and the upcoming U.S. election.
"The facts are clear. The danger to our democracy is clear and our duty is clear," Nadler said in his closing statement.
The hearing was punctuated by shouting and recriminations from Trump's fellow Republicans, unhappy with the process that could lead the panel to vote this week on articles of impeachment.
If the House approves the articles, as expected, the Republican-controlled Senate would hold a trial to decide whether to remove the president from office. A conviction is considered unlikely.
Trump denies wrongdoing and has called the impeachment probe a hoax.