House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told fellow Democrats on Monday she will transmit impeachment articles to the Senate when Senate Republicans provide the details of their just-announced plan for holding a trial.
Pelosi’s announcement moves Congress a step closer to holding an impeachment trial weighing obstruction of Congress and abuse of power charges against President Trump.
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Pelosi called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to provide the details of a resolution McConnell announced Tuesday after a closed-door meeting with GOP lawmakers.
“It is important that he immediately publish this resolution, so that, as I have said before, we can see the arena in which we will be participating, appoint managers, and transmit the articles to the Senate,” Pelosi said in a letter to Democrats.
McConnell announced Tuesday he has 51 GOP votes to pass a resolution setting rules for an impeachment trial that largely mirror those used 21 years ago when the Senate weighed impeachment charges against President Bill Clinton.
McConnell hasn’t released all the details, and there are some differences, he said. Pelosi wants those details.
“This morning, Leader McConnell said, ‘We’ll be glad to show [the resolution] to you when we unveil it,'” Pelosi told fellow Democrats in the letter.
Pelosi and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wanted Republicans to agree to a list of Trump administration witnesses ahead of the trial. Pelosi has delayed transmitting the articles to the Senate in an effort to push GOP senators to back a pretrial agreement on witnesses.
But McConnell rejected the idea and has the backing of his majority for the Clinton-era plan, which he said is fair and was accepted unanimously by the Senate in 1999.
Under the scenario outlined by McConnell, the Senate would allow both sides to present arguments and answer written questions from senators. Only after that would the Senate take up the question of whether to call any witnesses.
Pelosi, in the memo to fellow lawmakers, said the Senate should be required to call witnesses who were not interviewed during the weekslong House impeachment proceedings because they fought requests and subpoenas in court.
“This process is not only unfair but designed to deprive senators and the American people of crucial documents and testimony,” Pelosi said. “Under the Clinton trial, witnesses were deposed.”
Pelosi attached a document from Schumer outlining six “facts Sen. McConnell is conveniently leaving out.”
Among them, Schumer argued, was a concern during Clinton’s impeachment trial that the Senate did not want live testimony in the chamber from witness Monica Lewinsky, who was involved in a sexual relationship with Clinton.
“Senators of both parties were concerned that having Monica Lewinsky testify would create an unseemly spectacle,” Schumer said. Lewinsky and other witnesses, Schumer pointed out, “had already testified under oath in the grand jury and their testimony was available to the Senate.”
Schumer also argued in the memo that he believes McConnell wants the trial over within two weeks and will try to thwart votes on witnesses.
“When Democrats argue for witnesses and documents at that point, you can bet McConnell will accuse them of dragging out a proceeding that has already gone on long enough,” Schumer said.
Trump is poised to be acquitted of the two impeachment charges, which would require 67 votes for a conviction.
