House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the House will pursue articles of impeachment against President Trump for his “failure to faithfully execute the law.”
The California Democrat said the House has gathered evidence from weeks of testimony that shows the president abused his office and obstructed Congress in an effort to undermine his political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden.
“The president leaves us no choice but to act because he is trying to corrupt once again, the election for his own personal benefit,” Pelosi said. “Today, I am asking our chairman to proceed with articles of impeachment.”
Pelosi’s announcement comes after weeks of public and private testimony from current and former Trump administration officials.
Pelosi did not describe the impeachment articles or the timeline, but Democrats have outlined a case that will likely center on abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Democrats have been eager to finish impeachment “expeditiously,” and are hoping to vote on the articles before the House adjourns for the year on Dec. 20.
Democrats believe Trump tried to bribe Ukrainian government officials into investigating Biden and the 2020 Democrats by temporarily withholding $391 million in security aid.
Trump denies the charges.
A panel of constitutional scholars, mostly staunch critics of the president, testified in the Judiciary Committee on Wednesday that Trump has committed impeachable offenses. The Republican witness argued the evidence was too thin.
Pelosi, speaking before a small group of reporters Thursday morning, said, “The facts are uncontested,” and Trump’s actions “have seriously violated the Constitution.”
The Judiciary Committee will be tasked with drafting the articles and advancing them to the House floor.
Republicans immediately criticized the decision to impeach Trump.
“The Founders began the Constitution with ‘We the People’ for a reason,” Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in a statement. “Pelosi wants to negate the votes of 63 million Americans, all while denying President Trump due process. It is the ultimate abuse of power, and all the more reason why Republicans must take back the House and re-elect President Trump in 2020.”
Rep. Mark Meadows, a Trump ally, said Pelosi is basing her decision in part on the testimony of three liberal law professors who testified Trump deserves to be impeached.
“Pelosi and Democrats keep repeating this talking point that ‘the facts are uncontested.'” Meadows, a North Carolina Republican, tweeted Thursday. “I’m not sure what hearings they were watching — because none of their witnesses brought any facts. Just presumptions.”
