Democrats set Thursday vote on U.S. House path in Trump impeachment probe

[webfact]

Democrats set Thursday vote on U.S. House path in Trump impeachment probe

By Patricia Zengerle

 

FILE PHOTO: Then-White House former National Security Advisor John Bolton delivers remarks on North Korea at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) think tank in Washington, U.S. September 30, 2019. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats in Congress, answering Republican complaints that their impeachment investigation of U.S. President Donald Trump is being conducted in secret, plan a vote on Thursday on a format for going public with their inquiry, marking a significant new stage in the probe.

 

Trump and his fellow Republicans have for weeks branded as illegitimate the work of committees probing Trump's overtures to Ukraine, arguing the full Democratic-led House of Representatives had failed to authorize their investigations in a public vote.

 

Meeting behind closed doors, the House Intelligence, Foreign Affairs and Oversight committees have been looking into the possibility that Trump violated federal law by seeking foreign help for his November 2020 re-election efforts.

 

Meanwhile, House Rules Committee Chairman James McGovern said on Monday: "I will be introducing a resolution to ensure transparency and provide a clear path forward."

 

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said in a statement that the legislation would establish "a format for open hearings."The U.S. Constitution gives the House broad authority to set ground rules for an impeachment inquiry and Democrats say they are following House rules on investigations.

 

Several administration officials, including a former deputy national security adviser on Monday, have failed to testify to House committees engaged in the probe.

 

In a letter to her fellow House Democrats, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the House will vote this week - on Thursday, according to a senior Democratic aide - on a resolution that spells out how future public hearings will be held.

 

Pelosi promised to provide legal protections for Trump.

 

A source familiar with the probe said the public hearings will be held by the Intelligence Committee and that the transcripts from closed depositions with witnesses will be made public.

 

A senior House Democratic aide said the hearings could begin within the next month.

 

The measure will set the stage for House investigating committees to forward evidence they have collected to the House Judiciary Committee, which then would decide whether to advance articles of impeachment against Trump.

 

Even if the House impeaches Trump, he would face a trial in the Republican-controlled Senate, which for the moment seems unlikely to convict the president and force his ouster.

 

Impeachment requires a simple majority in the 435-member House but conviction demands the support of a two-thirds majority in the 100-member Senate.

 

WITNESS STAYS AWAY

Earlier on Monday, Charles Kupperman, a former deputy to ousted national security adviser John Bolton, failed to appear before the three House panels conducting the Ukraine phase of the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry, lawmakers said.

 

Other panels are probing separate issues, including Trump's finances and abuses of White House security clearances.

 

Kupperman put off testifying while asking a court to rule on whether he should comply with a congressional subpoena or honor the Trump administration's order not to testify, his lawyers said last week.

 

Democrats in turn said they would not let further legal maneuverings delay their work.

 

At least nine others have testified despite being instructed by the White House not to do so, Schiff said.

 

Kupperman was expected to provide testimony about Trump's dealings with Ukraine brought to Congress' attention by a report from a whistleblower about a July 25 telephone call between the U.S. president and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

 

Trump's request to Zelenskiy that he investigate former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, a leading candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, and his son Hunter Biden, who had served on the board of a Ukrainian gas company, is the focus of the inquiry being conducted by the three panels.

 

A former White House aide did not show up for a scheduled deposition with House impeachment investigators on Monday, and instead filed a lawsuit in federal court asking whether he had to comply with a Congressional subpoena. Zachary Goelman reports

 

Trump made his request after withholding $391 million in security aid approved by the U.S. Congress to help fight Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.

 

Trump again dismissed the inquiry in comments to reporters.

 

"I had a great conversation with the Ukrainian president. I had another with him also, I think before that, which was the same thing, it was nothing. They tried to take that conversation and make it into a big scandal," Trump said on Monday.

 

Schiff noted that a federal judge has validated the legality of the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry in a decision about releasing information regarding a separate investigation, into Russian election interference in 2016, to Congress and that all witnesses need to come forward when called.

 

The Trump administration appealed that ruling on Monday.

 

(Graphic: The impeachment inquiry, https://graphics.reuters.com/USA-TRUMP-WHISTLEBLOWER/0100B2EZ1MK/index.html)

 

(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Additional reporting by Susan Cornwell, Jonathan Landay, Alexandra Alper, Andy Sullivan, Lawrence Hurley, Steve Holland and Doina Chiacu; Writing by Doina Chiacu and Richard Cowan; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Howard Goller)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-10-29

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[thaibeachlovers]

Sooooo. Not a vote to go forward with impeachment then. Just a vote on how to conduct the inquiry on whether to impeach or not. 

I'm very disappointed. I'm hoping they will try to impeach really soon. Sooner started sooner ended and Trump can get on with being re elected.

2020-2024

[Eric Loh]

Time for Frank's song.... and now the end is near and so he face the final curtain. Good riddance.

[Nyezhov]

2 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Time for Frank's song.... and now the end is near and so he face the final curtain. Good riddance.

Been listening to that since he was elected. Its boring already. #Resist is like a nursery school tantrum.

[Chomper Higgot]

15 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Sooooo. Not a vote to go forward with impeachment then. Just a vote on how to conduct the inquiry on whether to impeach or not. 

I'm very disappointed. I'm hoping they will try to impeach really soon. Sooner started sooner ended and Trump can get on with being re elected.

2020-2024

There is no requirement for a vote to go forward with impeachment.

 

This does however signal that the investigation hearings are about to go public.

 

You objected when they were behind closed doors, you are going to love this next public phase.

[Eric Loh]

1 minute ago, Nyezhov said:

Been listening to that since he was elected. Its boring already. #Resist is like a nursery school tantrum.

I am a hopeful guy. It may be a repeated song but always made me warm and fuzzy to know that there are still resistance to rid this undeserving foolish man we don't have to wait til 2020. Yip yip hurray.  

[thaibeachlovers]

10 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

You objected when they were behind closed doors,

Stop making things up and quote where I said that. If you can I'll apologise.

I've always said I wanted them to get on with the impeachment. Sooner they do that the better, but I doubt they will, as spin it out till the election to try and sway the undecided voter is IMO the plan.

[J Town]

50 minutes ago, webfact said:

Republican complaints that their impeachment investigation of U.S. President Donald Trump is being conducted in secret

This is an inquiry. It is held behind closed doors so future witnesses won't adjust their testimony.

 

Side note: Why the photo of Bolton giving an address in September?

[J Town]

20 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

You objected when they were behind closed doors, you are going to love this next public phase.

Republicans should be careful what they wish for.

[riclag]

7 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Sooooo. Not a vote to go forward with impeachment then. Just a vote on how to conduct the inquiry on whether to impeach or not. 

I'm very disappointed. I'm hoping they will try to impeach really soon. Sooner started sooner ended and Trump can get on with being re elected.

2020-2024

 Agree,conduct inquiry! They will be using this  inquiry to control the news cycle to manipulate  public opinion!

"Even if the House impeaches Trump, he would face a trial in the Republican-controlled Senate, which for the moment seems unlikely to convict the president and force his ouster"

55 minutes ago, webfact said:

A source familiar with the probe said the public hearings will be held by the Intelligence Committee and that the transcripts from closed depositions with witnesses will be made public.

They will be coordinating with their propaganda arm! They have spun and twisted all the closed door faceless witness testimony to feed their moon howling base !

 I never thought I see the day but the  party of impeachment have destroyed America's trust in future elections!

[Sujo]

Repubs refuse to cooperate because there was no vote.

 

So dems arrange for a vote.

 

Repubs will not cooperate after the vote.

 

Much obstruction to a legal inquiry.

[stevenl]

38 minutes ago, Sujo said:

Repubs refuse to cooperate because there was no vote.

 

So dems arrange for a vote.

 

Repubs will not cooperate after the vote.

 

Much obstruction to a legal inquiry.

I think democrats are going to vote on this in order to make the process more visible and thereby increase the people's majority for an impeachment vote. This will increase the pressure on republicans and make a successful impeachment procedure more likely.

[riclag]

"The rancor engendered by our current impeachment debate bears out Alexander Hamilton’s prediction that impeachments would “seldom fail to agitate the passions of the whole community, and to divide it into parties.” But the scope of “high Crimes and Misdemeanors” shouldn’t turn on one’s opinion of any particular president. Partisans who lower the bar to impeachment in order to punish a president they revile — or raise it to save one they support — may, under future presidents, live to regret the standard they’ve set".

https://www.cato.org/publications/white-paper/indispensable-remedy-broad-scope-constitutions-impeachment-power

 

To the intolerant socialist dems,  thanks for the memories you have in 2 years laid  ground work to destroy what other oppositions countries have tried to do for hundreds of years,destroy America!

Edited October 29, 2019 by riclag

[xylophone]

17 minutes ago, riclag said:

To the intolerant socialist dems,  thanks for the memories you have in 2 years laid  ground work to destroy what other oppositions countries have tried to do for hundreds of years,destroy America!

Think you've got that wrong old chap...........America, its reputation, its support of allies and its standing in the world have been ruined by this ignorant and lying POS, and it is there for all to see.

 

Sad.

[riclag]

10 minutes ago, xylophone said:

Think you've got that wrong old chap...........America, its reputation, its support of allies and its standing in the world have been ruined by this ignorant and lying POS, and it is there for all to see.

 

Sad.

 "Partisans who lower the bar to impeachment in order to punish a president they revile — or raise it to save one they support — may, under future presidents, live to regret the standard they’ve set".

https://www.cato.org/publications/white-paper/indispensable-remedy-broad-scope-constitutions-impeachment-power

10 minutes ago, xylophone said:

Think you've got that wrong old chap...........America, its reputation, its support of allies and its standing in the world have been ruined by this ignorant and lying POS, and it is there for all to see.

 

Sad.

It's sad, that the founder Alex Hamilton who was quoted in my OP seen this coming  ! 

But thanks for your side of it

 

Edited October 29, 2019 by riclag

[metisdead]

An off topic trolling post has been removed. 

[Sujo]

18 minutes ago, riclag said:

 "Partisans who lower the bar to impeachment in order to punish a president they revile — or raise it to save one they support — may, under future presidents, live to regret the standard they’ve set".

https://www.cato.org/publications/white-paper/indispensable-remedy-broad-scope-constitutions-impeachment-power

It's sad, that the founder Alex Hamilton who was quoted in my OP seen this coming  ! 

But thanks for your side of it

 

Except trump will be impeached because he acted illegaly.

[Berkshire]

2 hours ago, riclag said:

They will be coordinating with their propaganda arm! They have spun and twisted all the closed door faceless witness testimony to feed their moon howling base !

 I never thought I see the day but the  party of impeachment have destroyed America's trust in future elections!

What would it take for you to just concede that Trump did something wrong?  Not only illegal, but patently un-American.  How about testimony from a patriot, an active duty Army officer.  One who heard the phone call and is not operating on hearsay.  Well, it will happen tomorrow....

 

[Washington — A White House official and decorated Army officer who listened to President Trump's now-infamous call with the Ukrainian president was so alarmed by what he heard that he reported it to a top national security lawyer, according to his prepared testimony.]

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/alexander-vindman-statement-white-house-official-to-testify-in-impeachment-inquiry-about-trump-ukraine-biden-call/

 

I expect you to still support the guy, but at least admit he's a lying, cheating, cowardly, conman of the highest order.

[thaibeachlovers]

4 minutes ago, Sujo said:

Except trump will be impeached because he acted illegaly.

GOP control the senate. GOP voters see through this sham and will let GOP senators know that if they vote to impeach they will not be re elected. Impeachment fails.

Impeachment, as has been pointed out several times, is a political trial, not a criminal one. No matter the reason to impeach, politicians want to be re elected.

Nixon would have been convicted had they impeached him which was why he resigned, but there isn't sufficient evidence to convince Trump supporters that he should be convicted, IMO, ergo 2020 to 2024.

 

Never mind, if they keep digging it's possible, but not probable, that they might actually find the real deal. I couldn't count the number of times the Dems have come up with the "smoking gun" in the past 2 years, only to find it isn't smoking and not even a gun:-)

[thaibeachlovers]

2 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

I expect you to still support the guy, but at least admit he's a lying, cheating, cowardly, conman of the highest order.

Perhaps so, but which GOP senator wants to lose their seat because they voted to convict?

You posted that as if it matters when it comes to politics. Politics is a dirty business. Everyone knows that, but don't have much choice when it comes to voting. They voted for the least bad candidate, IMO.

[LiamB80]

Hillary failed, Mueller failed, Stormy failed, Russia failed, Rapist failed, Racist failed, Recession failed, Impeachment will fail. Why would I expect this to be any different? But this time is different, yeah right. The walls are closing in for the thousandth time. Not a chance in hell Trump is removed from office. With the economy in good shape and low unemployment numbers while the markets are setting records and the leader of isis was just killed. This impeachment charade will cost democrats the House in 2020.

[Berkshire]

Just now, thaibeachlovers said:

Perhaps so, but which GOP senator wants to lose their seat because they voted to convict?

You posted that as if it matters when it comes to politics. Politics is a dirty business. Everyone knows that, but don't have much choice when it comes to voting. They voted for the least bad candidate, IMO.

I understand what everybody thinks.  The House will impeach, the Senate will not convict....yada yada yada.

 

But consider this scenario.  The Senate recognizes through overwhelming evidence that Trump is guilty of abuse of power and obstruction.  They've got some cover to actually do the right thing.  They come to realize that a President Pence may actually be more palatable than another year of Trump.  This may help them keep the Senate as the House is a lost cause.  Again, this is not GOP Senators coming to their senses and being courageous, but more about them saving their own asses.  When public opinion turns on Trump, so will they.  We shall see.    

[jany123]

1 hour ago, riclag said:

"The rancor engendered by our current impeachment debate bears out Alexander Hamilton’s prediction that impeachments would “seldom fail to agitate the passions of the whole community, and to divide it into parties.” But the scope of “high Crimes and Misdemeanors” shouldn’t turn on one’s opinion of any particular president. Partisans who lower the bar to impeachment in order to punish a president they revile — or raise it to save one they support — may, under future presidents, live to regret the standard they’ve set".

https://www.cato.org/publications/white-paper/indispensable-remedy-broad-scope-constitutions-impeachment-power

 

To the intolerant socialist dems,  thanks for the memories you have in 2 years laid  ground work to destroy what other oppositions countries have tried to do for hundreds of years,destroy America!

Better definition and greater transparency will strengthen America... it may even become a true democracy, instead of continuing to languish in the reject bin of supposedly democratic states.

[thaibeachlovers]

5 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

I understand what everybody thinks.  The House will impeach, the Senate will not convict....yada yada yada.

 

But consider this scenario.  The Senate recognizes through overwhelming evidence that Trump is guilty of abuse of power and obstruction.  They've got some cover to actually do the right thing.  They come to realize that a President Pence may actually be more palatable than another year of Trump.  This may help them keep the Senate as the House is a lost cause.  Again, this is not GOP Senators coming to their senses and being courageous, but more about them saving their own asses.  When public opinion turns on Trump, so will they.  We shall see.    

Hmmmmm. You think the voters care about more than what is in it for them? I don't.

So long as the economy is doing great, he keeps winning on trade, killing terrorists, etc etc etc, voters are not, IMO, going to want a change. Voters mostly, IMO, vote on what is good for their bank balance, and they probably haven't forgotten who made the economy better ( and it wasn't you know who ).

 

However, if for any reason the economy collapses, or the US loses some overseas adventure big time ( as happened to Carter ), Trump is indeed the proverbial toast.

 

The Senate recognizes through overwhelming evidence that Trump is guilty of abuse of power and obstruction.  They've got some cover to actually do the right thing. 

I understand that Trump haters think every new "thing" is the evidence to do away with him, but you are not there yet.

If all the <deleted> that came out before the election didn't stop the voters electing him, I very much doubt the present dispute is going to change their minds. Far as I can see, it's just stuff politicians think is important, but doesn't affect the voters. Proverbial Washington bubble swampy stuff. I doubt the average US voter thinks that Trump asking a foreign leader for help in getting dirt on an opponent matters much, if at all.

 

 

 

[Berkshire]

8 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

The Senate recognizes through overwhelming evidence that Trump is guilty of abuse of power and obstruction.  They've got some cover to actually do the right thing. 

I understand that Trump haters think every new "thing" is the evidence to do away with him, but you are not there yet.

If all the <deleted> that came out before the election didn't stop the voters electing him, I very much doubt the present dispute is going to change their minds. Far as I can see, it's just stuff politicians think is important, but doesn't affect the voters. Proverbial Washington bubble swampy stuff. I doubt the average US voter thinks that Trump asking a foreign leader for help in getting dirt on an opponent matters much, if at all.

The new "thing" is that Trump will be impeached.  It will be all over the news and even those who don't care about politics will want to know why.  This will dominate the news cycle until the Senate trial concludes.  Nobody can predict the political winds, but I'd watch McConnell.  This guy has no loyalty to Trump and only cares about keeping the Senate majority.  

[Solinvictus]

Thank God himself for Adam Shifty Shift. He and AOC are some of the best patriots known to both MAGA and fellow patriot supporters.

 

Cheers to draining the swamp! Impeachment? Who knows?

[thaibeachlovers]

27 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

The new "thing" is that Trump will be impeached.  It will be all over the news and even those who don't care about politics will want to know why.  This will dominate the news cycle until the Senate trial concludes.  Nobody can predict the political winds, but I'd watch McConnell.  This guy has no loyalty to Trump and only cares about keeping the Senate majority.  

McConnell, IMO, probably hates Trump as much as any Dem.

 

It will be all over the news and even those who don't care about politics will want to know why.

Don't forget that in the senate trial Trump side has the right to submit evidence. IMO, one of the reasons Nancy won't move to impeach is that she doesn't want all the Dem's dirt to be exposed.

IMO they'll just keep dragging it out till the election.

One of us has to be right, so I'll be interested to get back on this at election time if it hasn't happened, as I'm predicting.

Edited October 29, 2019 by thaibeachlovers

[JHolmesJr]

10 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Don't forget that in the senate trial Trump side has the right to submit evidence. IMO, one of the reasons Nancy won't move to impeach is that she doesn't want all the Dem's dirt to be exposed.

IMO they'll just keep dragging it out till the election.

 

This plays beautifully into Trump's hands...while they are levelling their over 

ambitious charges that don't rise to the level of high crimes and misdemeanours,

hopefully Durham's investigations will also be progressively revealed...so we will

see that the accusers have even more to answer for than the accused.

 

 

[Berkshire]

7 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

McConnell, IMO, probably hates Trump as much as any Dem.

 

It will be all over the news and even those who don't care about politics will want to know why.

Don't forget that in the senate trial Trump side has the right to submit evidence. IMO, one of the reasons Nancy won't move to impeach is that she doesn't want all the Dem's dirt to be exposed.

IMO they'll just keep dragging it out till the election.

One of us has to be right, so I'll be interested to get back on this at election time if it hasn't happened, as I'm predicting.

Pelosi is not concerned at all about any dirt the Rep might fabricate.  What she's concerned about is the optics of the GOP Senate not convicting, followed by Trump proclaiming he was exonerated and declaring the whole thing a witchhunt.  Those are real concerns.  But what may happen is a few Republicans jumping ship and giving the Dems a majority, but not the 2/3 required for conviction.  The Dems can then say that a bipartisan majority of lawmakers in both the House and Senate support the impeachment and removal of Trump.  

[stevenl]

24 minutes ago, Solinvictus said:

Thank God himself for Adam Shifty Shift. He and AOC are some of the best patriots known to both MAGA and fellow patriot supporters.

 

Cheers to draining the swamp! Impeachment? Who knows?

You do realise that that kind of name calling makes one look extremely unintelligent.