Following up on their announcement yesterday, House Democrats have now released the text of the resolution that will, once voted upon, formalize their impeachment inquiry into President Trump.
It also provides a look inside the process. Chairman Adam Schiff will remain in a lead position, able to designate which hearings will be open, and to release depositions of witnesses who testified behind closed doors to the public. The Intelligence Committee will then be tasked with issuing a report of its findings which it will then refer to the House Judiciary Committee. It will be up to them to draw up the actual articles of impeachment.
Once the hearings begin, witnesses will be questioned by each committee staff for up to 45 minutes. Then will follow the more standard practice of five minute rounds. The legal team representing Trump will be present and allowed to submit their case, along with written requests for additional testimony by their own witnesses, provide other evidence, raise objections, and cross-examine witnesses. Republicans on both committees will be able to subpoena their own witnesses, but only at the approval and consent of the Democratic Chairman, Schiff.
The resolution also states: “If the President unlawfully refuses to cooperate with Congressional requests, the Chair shall have the discretion to impose appropriate remedies, including by denying specific requests by the president or his counsel.”
This resolution is the first indication at just how broad the support for moving forward with Trump’s impeachment has grown. Republicans, of course, are looking for any stone to throw, and have been attacking the process, accusing it of being less than transparent for taking place in private, within the basement of the Capitol Visitor Center. Only members of the committees conducting the inquiry have been allowed to attend and participate. However, that includes both Democrats AND Republicans.
The chairs of four committees released the following statement:
“The evidence we have already collected paints the picture of a president who abused his power by using multiple levers of government to press a foreign country to interfere in the 2020 election. Following in the footsteps of previous impeachment inquiries, the next phase will move from closed depositions to open hearings where the American people will learn firsthand about the President’s misconduct.”
The House Rules Committee will take it up on Wednesday, with the full house vote happening Thursday. Reminder, Thursday is also Halloween, so let’s hope we get a “treat” (a vote to move forward) with few “tricks” from house GOP members. And I know this won’t happen because they are sErIoUs GoVeRnMeNt PrOfFeSsIoNaLs but my head canon dictates that they will vote while dressed in Halloween costumes. I would love to see a room full of Draculas, ghosts, and witches vote to move forward with impeaching our Pumpkin in Chief.
(Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)
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