Trump impeachment probe: US House judiciary panel to vote

US President Donald Trump (Photo: IANS)


The US House of Representatives panel is expected to approve impeachment charges against President Donald Trump on Friday in a historic day at the Capitol.

The judiciary committee is debating two articles of impeachment alleging abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, the BBC reported.

Day two of the judiciary committee’s marathon session on Thursday saw Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican, try to have the first impeachment charge against Trump deleted.

“Is anyone of my colleagues willing to say that it is ever OK for a President of the US to invite foreign interference in our elections?” asked Pramila Jayapal, an Indian-American Washington Democrat.

Earlier in the month, President Trump took to Twitter, saying “The good thing is that the Republicans have NEVER been more united. We will win!”.

The “Radical Left Democrats have just announced that they are going to seek to Impeach me over NOTHING”, Trump further posted.

Earlier, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that the Democrats will begin drafting articles of impeachment against President Trump.

While impeachment is expected to pass in the Democratic-led House, the Senate is held by a Republican majority and would likely acquit the US president as his 2020 reelection campaign gathers pace.

Pelosi has argued that the president’s conduct when it came to Ukraine left Democrats with “no choice but to act,” charging that Trump abused the powers of the presidency and leaving little doubt that the House will hold a vote to impeach him as early as before Christmas.

In September, the impeachment inquiry, which Nancy Pelosi initiated over a complaint by an anonymous whistleblower, is looking into White House’s alleged efforts to withhold military aid to have Ukraine investigate a Trump’s political rival, Joe Biden.