U.S. House Democrats prepare for impeachment vote as Trump said to embrace short trial

By Richard Cowan and Susan Cornwell

 

U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks during a campaign rally at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, U.S., December 10, 2019. REUTERS/Tom Brenner

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives moved closer on Wednesday to impeaching Donald Trump, as the president and senior Republicans appeared to converge on the idea of a shorter trial once the charges come to the Senate in the new year.

 

The House Judiciary Committee was due to meet at 7 p.m. on Wednesday (0000 GMT) to consider formal articles of impeachment accusing Trump of abusing his power by trying to force Ukraine to investigate political rival Joe Biden and of obstructing Congress when lawmakers tried to look into the matter.

 

The committee is expected to approve the charges on Thursday. The full Democratic-led House was likely to follow suit next week, making Trump the third president in U.S. history to be impeached.

 

After initially saying he wanted a full-blown, potentially lengthy trial in the Republican-led Senate, Trump appeared to be leaning toward the idea of having a shorter proceeding there that would allow him to move quickly past the threat to his presidency, two sources familiar with the situation said on Wednesday.

 

Trump's new thinking could remove a potential source of friction with Senate Republicans, who appeared to balk at the idea of a long trial with witnesses.

 

But it was not yet clear whether Trump was ready to abandon his demand for witnesses, such as Biden, which would trigger demands from Democrats for high-profile Trump administration witnesses.

 

"I think as an American the best thing we can do is deep-six this thing," a staunch Trump ally, Senator Lindsey Graham, told reporters on Wednesday.

Republicans say Democrats are just trying to undo Trump's 2016 victory via the impeachment process.

 

Asked why he thought Republican senators were now talking about a short trial, possibly with no witnesses, Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, said: "I think the answer is obvious. They want to move on because obviously they think more attention paid to this is not in their best interest in re-election."

 

CONSTITUTION AT STAKE

Democrats say Trump endangered the U.S. Constitution, jeopardized national security and undermined the integrity of the 2020 election by pressuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a July 25 telephone call to investigate Biden, a former vice president and a leading contender for the Democratic nomination to face Trump in next year's election.

 

The articles of impeachment unveiled on Tuesday do not draw on other, more contentious aspects of Trump's tenure, such as his efforts to impede former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe. Democratic lawmakers from more conservative districts had argued the focus should stay on Ukraine.

 

Many Democrats in those swing districts remain unsure how they will vote on impeachment, although with a 36-seat lead over Republicans in the House, passage is expected.

 

Trump will be on friendlier terrain in the Senate, where Democrats are not expected to pick up the 20 Republican votes they need at a minimum to drive the president from office.

 

If the House approves the charges, a trial would be the Senate's "first order of business in January," Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on the Senate floor on Wednesday.

 

McConnell, a close Trump ally, says no decision has been made over how to conduct the trial. Approving the rules will require agreement by the majority of the Senate's 100 members.

 

McConnell has said he wants lawmakers to return to their regular business at a time when Republicans will be campaigning for the 2020 election on a message of a strong U.S. economy.

 

(Reporting by Richard Cowan and Susan Cornwell; Additional reporting by Steve Holland, Andy Sullivan, Patricia Zengerle and David Morgan; Writing by Sonya Hepinstall; Editing by Peter Henderson, Jonathan Oatis and Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-12-12

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Dems have been preparing for impeachment for several years...Russia hoax was a big set-back and disappointment.  

 

This new effort has the seal of approval from lifer bureaucrats, hand-picked experts and of course the usual cast of Dem Congress and Senate never Trumpers.

 

The cry of "Russia" has been replace with "duty to protect the Constitution".

 

These weasels and liars are desperate to unseat Trump before the 2020 Presidential election.  They could be successful.

 

Trump is unconventional, at times crude and controversial...dismissing swamp rats who spend all their time trying to sabotage his administration...as well he should.

 

Be careful what you wish for...

McConnell has said he wants lawmakers to return to their regular business at a time when Republicans will be campaigning for the 2020 election on a message of a strong U.S. economy.

 

I will call any Senate decision which does not call for a full trial a whitewash.  There are members of both the Democrat and Republican parties who are dirty as sin.  If the Senate decides to quickly dismiss any House impeachment articles and simply go on about business I would call foul.  Ukraine leads to those in the U.S. who are corrupt.

 

We all know what "regular business" means.

3 hours ago, webfact said:

After initially saying he wanted a full-blown, potentially lengthy trial in the Republican-led Senate, Trump appeared to be leaning toward the idea of having a shorter proceeding there that would allow him to move quickly past the threat to his presidency, two sources familiar with the situation said on Wednesday.

Yet another u turn.

 

The man is all bluster and hot air...

7 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

Posted 3 minutes ago (edited)

  3 hours ago, webfact said:

After initially saying he wanted a full-blown, potentially lengthy trial in the Republican-led Senate, Trump appeared to be leaning toward the idea of having a shorter proceeding there that would allow him to move quickly past the threat to his presidency, two sources familiar with the situation said on Wednesday.

Yet another u turn.

 

The man is all bluster and hot air...

". . . . two sources familiar with the situation said . . . ."

 

55555555555555555555555555555555555555555

 

20 minutes ago, Tippaporn said:

McConnell has said he wants lawmakers to return to their regular business at a time when Republicans will be campaigning for the 2020 election on a message of a strong U.S. economy.

 

I will call any Senate decision which does not call for a full trial a whitewash.  There are members of both the Democrat and Republican parties who are dirty as sin.  If the Senate decides to quickly dismiss any House impeachment articles and simply go on about business I would call foul.  Ukraine leads to those in the U.S. who are corrupt.

 

We all know what "regular business" means.

Trump would like nothing more than a long dragged out senate trial and have the majority twist and turn the facts for his election benefits. He will do just about anything to have that advantage. Sound familiar? Unfortunately Mitch has other ideas much to Trump’s chagrin. Do I see dissension in the Rep camp? 

1 minute ago, Eric Loh said:

Trump would like nothing more than a long dragged out senate trial and have the majority twist and turn the facts for his election benefits. He will do just about anything to have that advantage. Sound familiar? Unfortunately Mitch has other ideas much to Trump’s chagrin. Do I see dissension in the Rep camp? 

Yeah, right.

I see another Saturday Night Massacre in the making, Version 2.0.

 

Time to cut to the chase. Get it over with.

37 minutes ago, Tippaporn said:

McConnell has said he wants lawmakers to return to their regular business at a time when Republicans will be campaigning for the 2020 election on a message of a strong U.S. economy.

 

I will call any Senate decision which does not call for a full trial a whitewash.  There are members of both the Democrat and Republican parties who are dirty as sin.  If the Senate decides to quickly dismiss any House impeachment articles and simply go on about business I would call foul.  Ukraine leads to those in the U.S. who are corrupt.

 

We all know what "regular business" means.

Yeah right.

 

You do understand this impeachment is about what trump did. Not what anyone else did.

2 hours ago, Sujo said:

Yeah right.

 

You do understand this impeachment is about what trump did. Not what anyone else did.

 

The impeachment is about the behavior of the sitting POTUS.

 

But, are you suggesting evidence of corruption and / or illegal activities uncovered should simply be ignored?

2 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

The impeachment is about the behavior of the sitting POTUS.

 

But, are you suggesting evidence of corruption and / or illegal activities uncovered should simply be ignored?

 

The are legal ways to investigate. So no problem if its done properly.

 

This impeachment is only about what trump did. What anyone else did is irrelevant.

3 hours ago, Sujo said:

Yeah right.

 

You do understand this impeachment is about what trump did. Not what anyone else did.

I wanna know what Schiff did with the whistle blower.

18 minutes ago, Tippaporn said:

I wanna know what Schiff did with the whistle blower.

You will most likely not know as there is a very likely situation whereby Congress will bypass the trial to dismiss the articles and go straight to the acquittal vote where they feel they have a better chance. In any case, all these impeachment events will be a bad for Trump as voters are increasingly feed-up with his consistent controversies. Maybe you too feel exhausted by his shenanigans and trying to defend him. 

Do the democrats have anything at all on their agenda other than unseating the man who was elected to be president ? At this moment in time America is being about the least democratic country on the planet ????

4 hours ago, Sujo said:

You do understand this impeachment is about what trump did. Not what anyone else did.

 

Talk about delusional anti trumpers.

 

Its not about FBI opening a fraudulently predicated investigation into Trump that elicited outrage from him,

outrage that was then cited as 'obstruction of justice'.

 

It's not about the FBI withholding exculpatory information that would have stopped this fake investigation in its tracks.

 

Its not about Dems colluding with MSM to create a fake narrative about trump being a Russian agent.

 

It's not about Biden and sons highly suspicious activities in Ukraine that are unethical at best and corrupt at worst.

 

Its not about Trump rightfully asking Ukraine to look into this before a full blown investigation could be officially

launched via Barr.

 

It's not about Horowitz exposing rogue FBI elements at the highest level conspiring to take down a 

lawfully elected president.

 

It's not about Durham exercising more sweeping powers to look into everyone connected with this coup attempt.

 

It's only about what Trump did to respond to all the downright dirty and corrupt Washington swamp.

 

LOLLLLLLLLLL!

 

 

21 minutes ago, JHolmesJr said:

 

Talk about delusional anti trumpers.

 

Its not about FBI opening a fraudulently predicated investigation into Trump that elicited outrage from him,

outrage that was then cited as 'obstruction of justice'.

 

It's not about the FBI withholding exculpatory information that would have stopped this fake investigation in its tracks.

 

Its not about Dems colluding with MSM to create a fake narrative about trump being a Russian agent.

 

It's not about Biden and sons highly suspicious activities in Ukraine that are unethical at best and corrupt at worst.

 

Its not about Trump rightfully asking Ukraine to look into this before a full blown investigation could be officially

launched via Barr.

 

It's not about Horowitz exposing rogue FBI elements at the highest level conspiring to take down a 

lawfully elected president.

 

It's not about Durham exercising more sweeping powers to look into everyone connected with this coup attempt.

 

It's only about what Trump did to respond to all the downright dirty and corrupt Washington swamp.

 

LOLLLLLLLLLL!

 

 

Did you see the IG give evidence? He specifically said the investigstion was opened correctly. He also stated durham agreed.

 

The witholding of ecculpatory evidence was only at the 3rd and 4th fisa court, against page. Not trump. So the investigation into trump would not have stopped.

 

Russian agent or whatever. Mueller found trump colluded and elicited information from russia.

 

It is definately about trump asking a foreign govt to investigate a political rival. That was not 'rightfully' done.

 

Horowitz did not expose any highest ranking fbi officials conspiring to take down trump. The decision to investigate was not taken by anyone accused of wrongdoing. Perhaps you should listen to horowitz testimony before making false statements.

 

Durham can investigate whatever he wants. What has that got to do with trumps impeachment.

 

And finally you get it right. It is solely that trump asked a foreign govt to investigate a political rival. He should have asked the state dept, or barr to open an invrstigation. But he was too dumb to do it correctly.

 

But nevermind, next week he will do something stupid again. Or maybe rudy will open a can of worms as pressure gets to him.

 

Im amazed you got so much wrong in your post. But then again, maybe not amazed.

18 minutes ago, JHolmesJr said:

 

Talk about delusional anti trumpers.

 

Its not about FBI opening a fraudulently predicated investigation into Trump that elicited outrage from him,

outrage that was then cited as 'obstruction of justice'.

 

It's not about the FBI withholding exculpatory information that would have stopped this fake investigation in its tracks.

 

Its not about Dems colluding with MSM to create a fake narrative about trump being a Russian agent.

 

It's not about Biden and sons highly suspicious activities in Ukraine that are unethical at best and corrupt at worst.

 

Its not about Trump rightfully asking Ukraine to look into this before a full blown investigation could be officially

launched via Barr.

 

It's not about Horowitz exposing rogue FBI elements at the highest level conspiring to take down a 

lawfully elected president.

 

It's not about Durham exercising more sweeping powers to look into everyone connected with this coup attempt.

 

It's only about what Trump did to respond to all the downright dirty and corrupt Washington swamp.

 

LOLLLLLLLLLL!

 

 

A nice liste of fake or altered facts

(1) The openining of the investigation was predicated, see IG report

(2) In case it would have stopped something, it would have only stopped the investigation into Page.

(3) And Trump is still feeding this narrative, I.e. Giuliani meeting pro-Russia Ukrainians and Parnas paid by Russians.

(4) It's been debunked already, as well as the Crowdstrike conspiracy.

(5) Nice imaginary interpretation, but it's not what Trump did.

(6) Horowitz report was clear about it, no political motive, no conspiration.

(7) we'll see. No evidence provided yet.

(8) lol!

 

But please go on with your disinformation/misinformation campaign. It seems you consider you have a mission to accomplish.

2 minutes ago, JHolmesJr said:

 

awww.....we'll see who has the right facts when Durham's indictments start rolling out.

Facts are by definition right. You can look into your crystal ball all you like.

 

As it stands i stated the facts as they are known. You however did not.

 

There must be a lot of supporters not happy with the senate not wanting to call all the witnesses they were salivating over.

 

What a let down that must be.

5 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Trump would like nothing more than a long dragged out senate trial and have the majority twist and turn the facts for his election benefits. He will do just about anything to have that advantage. Sound familiar? Unfortunately Mitch has other ideas much to Trump’s chagrin. Do I see dissension in the Rep camp? 

He's not stupid. The last thing Republicans want is to have Bolson, Pompeo, Mulvaney, Giulani and co testify before they vote.

8 minutes ago, candide said:

He's not stupid. The last thing Republicans want is to have Bolson, Pompeo, Mulvaney, Giulani and co testify before they vote.

The Reps have little in the impeachment defense and lost confidence that they can get 51% of the senate votes to dismiss the allegations. Thus likely to take the cowardly path of less resistance by proceeding straight to the acquittal vote that requires 67 votes which Mith think they can win. I see surprises and possible upset. 

30 minutes ago, Sujo said:

Facts are by definition right. You can look into your crystal ball all you like.

 

As it stands i stated the facts as they are known. You however did not.

 

There must be a lot of supporters not happy with the senate not wanting to call all the witnesses they were salivating over.

 

What a let down that must be.

 

The senate is right to want to get this charade over ASAP and get the government back to the people's business.

The entire Democrat party has been exposed as crafty, scheming and willing to go to any lengths to topple the president. This is now clear and the people have seen it firsthand. There are now benefits to having a long drawn out drama when all the investigations against trump have been found to be illegal anyway. And the Ukraine one has no proof...just testimony of self righteous career diplomats.  Pffft.

1 hour ago, phantomfiddler said:

Do the democrats have anything at all on their agenda other than unseating the man who was elected to be president ? At this moment in time America is being about the least democratic country on the planet ????

America was democratic until Trump came and dismantle a democracy. 

This farce just about guaranteess a Trump win in 2020. Really stupid.

Baiting post removed

1 hour ago, JHolmesJr said:

 

The senate is right to want to get this charade over ASAP and get the government back to the people's business.

The entire Democrat party has been exposed as crafty, scheming and willing to go to any lengths to topple the president. This is now clear and the people have seen it firsthand. There are now benefits to having a long drawn out drama when all the investigations against trump have been found to be illegal anyway. And the Ukraine one has no proof...just testimony of self righteous career diplomats.  Pffft.

Yes, that is the best thing to do.  Durham's criminal probe will deal with this attempted coup way better than forcing some of the culprits to testify in the Senate trial (if it even happens).

Some troll posts and replies have been removed.

 

Posts using trolling representations of politician's names have been removed.  If you do not want your post to be removed, please spell people's names correctly. 

Imo trump is ok with the shorter route because he realizes the principles would be forced to testify if they don’t commit purgury he’s got more trouble all this scandal so trump can attempt to slander another enough!He brings shame and disrespect to our country he in 3 years has made us a pariah and laughingstock among nations our enemies are delighted just fire the guy!

meanwhile.....

Prosecutors say Giuliani associate Lev Parnas hid $1 million payment from Russia

https://www.axios.com/lev-parnas-russia-ukraine-giuliani-15b6d210-a62d-4fcc-b96f-09fc380b9053.html

48 minutes ago, candide said:

meanwhile.....

Prosecutors say Giuliani associate Lev Parnas hid $1 million payment from Russia

https://www.axios.com/lev-parnas-russia-ukraine-giuliani-15b6d210-a62d-4fcc-b96f-09fc380b9053.html

What does that have to do with the impeachment vote?

IMO we are witnessing the beginning of the end of the Democratic party.  This foolish effort will cost them dearly.  Pelosi let the squad talk her into going down the impeachment path and now there is no turning back.  Still not a slam dunk that she will get the votes to impeach.

 

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/trump-impeachment-no-slam-dunk-for-moderate-democrats